Tiller Question

[Cade]

This is my 3rd bow and I haven’t dealt with much character yet. This is a pretty basis 60” bendy handle Osage bow, but I don’t know how to proceed with the dip in the lower limb. It kinks downward pretty steeply about 2” below strait, then reflexes back to about a half inch shy of being level with the top limb. The beginning of the reflex starts about 6” below the center of the bow lengthewise.

What am I looking for with my tiller if I leave it as is, or is it bad enough I need to try to hear correct it? Thanks for the help!

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks like more bending is needed mid limb and too much is happening at the handle. The hand shock would be extreme.

Where dips are concerned, they still have to bend and do their share of the work. The classic tiller picture we see definitely has to be amended.

Jawge

[Pat B]

I agree with George about too much bending at the handle. As far as the crook, I would wait til first brace to see how the string tracks then decide if it needs straightening or at least adjusting. Also like George said, that area will have to take up it's share of the work.

[Dances with squirrels]

In the meantime, as you work your way toward brace, ensure extremely accurate width, and then thickness tapering. Checking thickness across the limb every inch or two as well. Be anal about it.

When all those things are accurate, no matter how much character there is, you can't get into too much trouble... and when you brace it, it'll sort of show you how it should look. If that funky spot is only in one limb, don't try to tiller it into a nice arc like you would a straight stave. And don't try to make both limbs look the same.

If it were me, I'd level the handle area in the tree, ignoring whether one tip was higher than the other, pull the string from my string hand fulcrum location, and adjust the strength of the limbs so the hook came straight down. That's how I balance all bows, character or not.

I'm currently working on the most snakey bow I've ever tillered, and it's really slow going, maintaining all proportions accurately as I sneak up to brace height. It's taking forever. But I know when it's finally braced, it'll have a good start with only minor work needed the rest of the way.