Reducing weight

[DC]

I have a bunch of surplus bows that I'm giving to my sons SCA group. My bows are all around 40# and they want bows in the 25-35# range. I don't want to go to the trouble of piking and making new strings so how should I go about re-tillering? Should I be slightly whip tillering them to keep the speed up as much as possible? Narrowing rather than thinning? I know some of them will end up a bit doggish but that's probably unavoidable. Ant hints would be appreiciated.

[gfugal]

To my understanding whip tillering would reduce the speed not keep it up, and piking would make them heavier, not lighter. If you feel the bow is overbuilt and could handle the stress you could reduce the width. That should be the easiest way of reducing weight without effect tiller that much. However, if the bow already has set, or is bending far for its length, you probably would have to just thin it down, and re-tiller them completely. Ideally, tiller should be the same, your just ensuring it stays that way as you take wood off. Should be faster than making a bow, but it will require the same carefull attention to tiller as when you made it. Sorry, but I don't think there is an easy way to reduce weight like piking increases it.

[DC]

I was thinking that whip tillering would keep the speed up because it would lighten the tips. I would leave the inners so I would end up with basically a short bow with a long handle and a low string angle. I knew that piking would increase the weight. If I piked I would re-tiller but I would rather not pike.
As I look at my list a couple are things like 35@25" so that looks easy because it's just a 40@28 that isn't being full drawn. Those are the ones that I think could be piked and re-tillered. There's just a couple that are asking for 25@ 28" that are tough and I'd be willing to bet that they don't know their draw length. Maybe they shoot a recurve that is 25@ 28 but I honestly doubt that anyone that is big enough to pull 28" can only pull 25#.

[Pat B]

If the bows are well tillered you can make long, even scrapes on the belly to reduce weight. The tip width can also be narrowed to reduce tip weight if you are concerned about that.

[upstatenybowyer]

Whenever I'm trying to reduce weight I do something kinda funny. I have this rhythm I "play" with my rasp that's a certain number of "measures" long. I "play" that rhythm on a 4" section of the limb, then do it on the opposite 4" section  with the same amount of pressure. I continue to do this on the next 4" section and it's opposite, and so on.

I know this sounds weird, but it has consistently proven a reliable method for reducing weight without effecting tiller shape. 

[stuckinthemud]

I find the easiest way to reduce weight without affecting tiller is to side-tiller, its amazing how fast the weight falls away

[Pappy]

I would do just what Pat said, I do that a lot for folks. Don't take many scrapes to reduce 5 or 6 pounds.
 Pappy

[Eric Krewson]

Another thing; use a tillering gizmo to make sure you keep the tiller in line. It is easy to dig a little deeper while scraping and get a weak spot.

[Badger]

  I go along with the others, I would just scrape them down a bit until they made weight, I would not whip tiller. If the bow is really wide and you have a belt sander it wouldn't take much to narrow it a little and then if needed scrape it down.

[DC]

Thanks guys, I'll fly at it.

[PatM]

Leave them strung in a humid area  for a couple of weeks and then deliver them to the group. They'll be just right and used to what's likely to happen to them anyway.

[DC]

You've been down this road i take it?