Introduction and tiller check

[Bearclaw]

Hello! I am new to this forum but have used a lot of info from you guys to build a few board bows. I completed my first bamboo backed Osage bow. It’s 63in tip to tip, 1 1/8 wide at fades tapering to less than 1/2 inches. The bamboo was pre shaped and a bit too thick I think.

Anyhow. I tillered it out evenly and then cut a shallow shelf in 1.25 inches above center. Now that it’s all finished there is more set in bottom limb and it is bending a bit more from mid limb. I originally glued in 3 inches of reflex. It is 50 pounds at my 27 draw length. I don’t want to lose more weight and it seems to be shooting decently. Do you think it would be worth it to fix it? Or leave it and learn from it for my next one. I attached two pictures (hopefully correctly). Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you!

[Del the cat]

Pretty good job, but IMO (and I may well be wrong!) the inner limbs aren't quite working enough (but it's only a tiny bit stiff) , which is why you are getting some set in the mid limb. As you say lower limb is a tad weak compared to upper.
Lower limb looks a fair bit shorter than the upper... I know this is generally the case... but there is nothing to say it has to be that way. I've made a couple of bows with the lower limb longer and they've both been good shooters.
I'd say leave it alone, now't much you can do without losing weight.,
Del

[Bearclaw]

Del,

Thank you for the input. The limbs I made to be of even length unless I messed something up. Is there another reason the bottom limb could have ended up shorter?

[Morgan]

Welcome!
I don’t know why, but the pics are contorted on my screen so I can’t comment on tiller. Your string angle looks well past 90° from what I can see ( that may be due to the pics being squished on my screen though). Does it stack at the back of the draw?

[Badger]

  Pretty good job, I think the outer limbs working so much is causing your string angle to be too high and it will stack a bit on you early in the draw. Next time get it working closer to the fades and maybe shorten up your handle and fade area a bit. Still a very nice job. I would leave it and start another.

[bjrogg]

Welcome to PA my pictures are distorted to but from what I can see I agree with Badger maybe next time a shorter handle get the it moving just a bit out of the fades. Always is scary area you don't want a hinge there.
Bjrogg

[DC]

I think on the next one you could shorten the riser quite a bit. That would give you more working limb and allow it to bend more in the middle. Good job though.

[Morgan]

Am I seeing the pics or bend wrong? It doesn’t look like the limbs are bending much at all from mid limb out to me. Looks a little stiff just out of the fades and a sharp radius out to mid limb then flat to tips especially on the lower limb.?

[Bearclaw]

Thanks all for the comments. I will get the inner limb bending more with a shorter riser. This one was 12 inches. I will try another photo that is not squished!

[George Tsoukalas]

Pretty goo tiller. I like a little less bending (actually a lot less ) the last 8 inches. Jawge

[bjrogg]

Bearclaw you did good. Next time though I'd make my handle area shorter and use that area for working limb. Your stiff out of a pretty long handle and that's giving up a lot of working limb. I agree with George to your tips are moving more than I'd like. It's still a better bow than my first but just giving you my honest critique.
Once again welcome to PA
Bjrogg

[Hawkdancer]

Bear claw,
Welcome to the site!  I'm too new to comment on the tiller, but that last pic looks better! Lol!
Hawkdancer

[Springbuck]

You dd fine!  Some things to think about for the future, but that will shoot.  Lots of good things to come in the future, too.

[Bearclaw]

Thank you all for the advice. I will be using it for the next bow. Here are a few of the finished product.

[Del the cat]

I've just re-worked the bow for you to shorten the riser
I think it looks better, but your lower jaw and right hand may never recover 
But seriously I went a bit mad and that prob wouldn't leave much room for the cut away arrow pass. (We don't cut away the arrow arrow pass on an English longbow  )
Del
PS my comment about limb length could just be an optical illusion, I didn't try to measure 'em.