Long string

[DC]

Is it normal that the tips will be bent more after you change from a long string to low brace?

[upstatenybowyer]

Not sure, but I can say that I'm always surprised how different the bend looks at a low brace than it did on the tree with a long string.

[Dictionary]

I always notice a change as well. That's why I go to a short brace as soon as possible.

[Dances with squirrels]

Yes. Outer limbs bend more with the proper length string than with a long tillering string.

Tillering string's shouldn't be much longer than the bow to minimize these effects.

[Swamp Thang]

I did not know this I don't use a very long string anyways no reason in particular.

[Badger]

  If I use a gizmo I like to use it on the long string because it comes out more elliptical once I switch to the short string.

[Pat B]

The longer the string the more straight down it pulls the limbs. Once braced the limbs are pulled inward. I can't explain it but there is a difference that I found in what the bow tells you in each situation. I use a long string only until I can low brace(8" to 10" of tip movement). To me long string tillering is just an extension of floor tillering. I adjust the limb bends in each section of the process so when I get to regular brace height both limbs are bending even and together or at least pretty close. After that it just loosing weight with a little limb adjustment.

[George Tsoukalas]

The tips of a finished bow do not move that much...maybe a few inches...at least for my bows.
Same with a long string. I long string only to 10 inches of string movement.
Jawge

[willie]

The longer the string the more straight down it pulls the limbs. Once braced the limbs are pulled inward. I can't explain it but there is a difference that I found in what the bow tells you in each situation. I use a long string only until I can low brace(8" to 10" of tip movement). To me long string tillering is just an extension of floor tillering. I adjust the limb bends in each section of the process so when I get to regular brace height both limbs are bending even and together or at least pretty close. After that it just loosing weight with a little limb adjustment.

Pat, that sounds like quite a bit of tip travel before you low brace, but I am hoping to learn more about how to get my bows closer to finished dimension before bracing,  would you be kind enough to pass along how much of your design weight you like it pulling on the long string (at  8-10 tip travel)? I presume that you also use as short a longstring as possible?
thanks

willlie

[mikekeswick]

Yes it is normal.
Expect slightly more bend from mid limb out.

[loon]

Does this mean that outer limbs bend less with a lower brace height?

[Badger]

The longer the string the more straight down it pulls the limbs. Once braced the limbs are pulled inward. I can't explain it but there is a difference that I found in what the bow tells you in each situation. I use a long string only until I can low brace(8" to 10" of tip movement). To me long string tillering is just an extension of floor tillering. I adjust the limb bends in each section of the process so when I get to regular brace height both limbs are bending even and together or at least pretty close. After that it just loosing weight with a little limb adjustment.

Pat, that sounds like quite a bit of tip travel before you low brace, but I am hoping to learn more about how to get my bows closer to finished dimension before bracing,  would you be kind enough to pass along how much of your design weight you like it pulling on the long string (at  8-10 tip travel)? I presume that you also use as short a longstring as possible?
thanks

willlie

     Willie, if a bow is on a long string or braced they will still read very similar pounds of draw weight at the same inches even though the tip movement is much less on a long string. Very often on highly relfexed bows I will keep them on a long string much longer than a more moderate design. I usually brace on these types of bows when I am hitting target weight at about 24" on a long string. It will read very close to the same thing once braced.

[George Tsoukalas]

Willie,  I look for good limb movement. I long string tiller out to 10 inches. I keep checking weight never forcing the stave to bend. I try not to pull beyond target weight more than 5 lbs.

When I get target weight or a little over at 10 inches, I string it with the short string at a low brace.

That puts me at around 10# over target weight.

Stringing a bow that is too heavy can be problematic.

There's more on my site. Check the buildalongs.

Jawge

[DC]

Thanks guys, it's nice to notice something and be right for a change. I first noticed this when I was tillering and almost perfect yew stave It was going so smoothly and nice on the long string and I was enjoying working it so much that I was at almost full draw and still on the long string. I very quickly braced it and noticed that it was a little whip tillered. I still had enough to go to save it so it all worked out.

[txdm]

Would you guys say its best to concentrate mostly on tillering the inner half of the limbs mostly while using the long string, until its ready for brace, then work on the whole limbs after brace?

Also, has anyone come up with a device or method that could crank a long string down from long to short while its on the bow?