How to make a tillering stick?

[tom sawyer]

Whew, for a minute I thought you weren't going to tell us how you really felt Jawge!

What prominent members of this site advocate tillering sticks anyway?

[George Tsoukalas]

Agreed, Pappy. Beginners just wear safety glasses and helmet. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

TS,  they know who they are. Jawge

[stiknstring]

After two near misses when a bow came apart on the tillering stick (as beginners often have happen) I have switched to the tillering tree method that Jawge advocates and have not had an incident since....I mean I have had bows break but I have been safely outta the way.  Danny Wakolbinger once posted a sort of bow press he uses to tiller with before the tree...does anyone remember that and does anyone use that device???

[Pappy]

Here are some pictures of or tillering stick and pulley and cable set up.We make the board out of Hickory cut out of what we can't use for bows.Greg made about 10 of these a few weeks ago.
      Pappy

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[tom sawyer]

I like the lined board behind the tree.  I want to get mine set back up, using some pegboard behind with lines drawn on it.  Maybe some "ideal" curves as well.

Gary Davis' tiller stick are all made of scraps of osage.  The one I have now is crumby old pine, it bends slightly when I have a bow on it.  Probably need to upgrade to a hardwood.

[George Tsoukalas]

" Probably need to upgrade to a hardwood."
Please do. Jawge

[Pappy]

Yes we have some made out of Osage also,I had some out of a pine 2x4 and after quite a bit of use it ripped some of the slots off so we went to Osage and Hickory and made sure we cut the cross grain.Jawgs you really just don't like tillering sticks at all do you.
   Pappy

[tom sawyer]

Pappy mine's a 2x2.  The skinnier hardwood ones, are easier to get the string in and out of the grooves.

Jawge is just looking out for me.  In fact, since he's someone who's requently advising newbies who are usually working on less than optimal stuff (or just plain junk and I don't understand that since jawge tells how to select a decent board), I can understand the advice to avoid the tillering stick.  Having a bow fail at that early stage, is just something I don't have happen since I don't work on questionable boards.  Life's too short to make tomato stakes the hard way.

[Pappy]

Me to,It's been a while since I had one fail in the early stage.If the wood is in queston
I cook Brats with it,you got to have fire wood to.
   Pappy

[Justin Snyder]

Do you guys put anything in the groove for the handle.  I tried using a tillering board "once". It kept slipping back and forth on the handle while I was trying to put tension on the string. I would like to try it one more time to get to brace height but not if I'm going to get a knot on my head. I cant figure this out so you know I cant afford another blow to the head. Justin

[tom sawyer]

Stick a sock in it Justin.

No really, I will sometimes use a sock to take up space if there is any.

[Justin Snyder]

Tom Sawyer, thanks Ill try it. Justin

[Pappy]

I just have some pieces of leather cut in 4 or 5 in. strips a couple of inches wide I use in the handle grove.That seem to work well.I make most of my handles about the same size so the stick I use fits pretty snug.I have some cut bigger and smaller if I need them.
   Pappy

[George Tsoukalas]

Nope. I hate them since I got bopped on the head. Jawge