Tillering for low set

[willie]

LOL , I thought that you were just making a little tongue in cheek humor, but you never know, there are unusual tools in most every bowmakers tool box.

[BowEd]

Yea it's hard for me to lighten up a conversation at times but I like a good time as well as anybody though.....lol.Would'nt that be called a poundage graduation tester?.....lol.

[DC]

You can get a digital luggage scale that is quite a bit cheaper but the display is small.

[upstatenybowyer]

You can get a digital luggage scale that is quite a bit cheaper but the display is small.

I use a luggage scale, and it isn't even digital... real cheap!

[willie]

I started with a spring scale and upgraded to the $50 digital. I like the accuracy, but it has a mind of its own, and turns itself off without warning, like some women I have known....

[BowEd]

The battery needs to be good on these digitals but know what you mean.Patience seems to be the key word here on many things....lol.

[DC]

You can get a digital luggage scale that is quite a bit cheaper but the display is small.

I use a luggage scale, and it isn't even digital... real cheap!

Yup, mine cost six bucks.

[BowEd]

Yea that's not bad but cheap is as cheap does usually.Mine has lasted tillering dozens and dozens of bows and has been a real asset to me.I did many bows with just a bathroom scale long ago.

[DC]

I didn't want to hijack Willie's "set" post because this is early set. It was cut in 2014 and has been in my shop ever since. Just to make sure back on Feb6 I put this stave in the warm box(constant 45% RH) and after a week it weighed the same within a gram. I decided to forge ahead keeping in mind the advice received so far. I took a few scrapes everywhere but where it was showing set. I got it to low brace(4") and pulled it to 40# about ten times. The lines are the original shape of the back before I did anything. I can see that the set is getting worse in the area where it was showing set before but now there appears to be set everywhere. There is 2" of set and I haven't got it to full brace yet. Can you give me any ideas what might be going on? It's never been pulled more than 40# and the tips have never been back more than 6". Why so much set? What should I have done differently?

[bradsmith2010]

ok I didnt read everything again, but here are some thoughts that came to mind,,
is that reflex you started with Natural,,or induced,,( if induced thats the main problem)
what kind of wood is it,,
how wide is it,,
also if it is a wood that wants to be 8% or so,, you still dont know what the moisture content is,, right,,???

[DC]

Natural reflex, Yew an 1 3/8"(35mm) wide. So 3 years in 60-70%RH puts it a 12 %(more or less. That's to high but then it had a week at 45% and lost no weight. That should bring it down to an acceptable level, doncha think.

[willie]

bradsmith

I know this is not going to help DC much, but your questions imply that natural reflex should be treated different from induced.
Would you be kind enough to explain a little of what you have experienced, as to how they should be treated differently?

[Stick Bender]

I'm glad you asked  that Willie I was curious Too but didn't want to give him another head ache 

[Stick Bender]

Here is my digital pull tester I just got can make bows up to 600 lb...lol I have never worked with yew & don't know how it seasons but  even with it being in the hot box could the RH internally still be a bit high ? I have been getting a little anal about seasoning wood lately and got one of those non invasive moister meters that seems to work ok ,it shoots a little radar type signal in to the wood & is adjustable for different densities , I know Willie kinda digital high tech but give a kid a hammer & every thing needs nailed ...lol also doesn't the ring ratio in yew make a huge difference in its strength ? From what I have read Yew is kind of a different animal

[George Tsoukalas]

DC, you are scraping where it shows set? Jawge