Tillering a reflexed stave- Calling it done

[bentstick54]

I have an osage stave roughed out at the very beginning of floor tillering. It has a pretty even reflex from tip to tip at about 1-3/4” at the centerline of the handle. It’s going to be a 66” NTN flat bow, 1-1/2” at the widest part of the fades straight tapered to 3/8” tips, 4” handle and 3” fades. Total 10” non-working.

I have not worked with any that had this much natural reflex and would like some advice on how to proceed with tillering to maintain the most of the reflex and minimize set. How far do you tiller on a long string before changing to a short string for a low brace? Where do I find info on Badgers mass and no set theories?

Any helpful advice will be greatly appreciated. Brian

[bentstick54]

Here’s a picture of the stave.

[Badger]

   Assuming you are going to make the tips pretty skinny I would say bring the bow in around 22 oz. One of the keys to a low set bow is getting the bow working up into the fades without taking set there. Just make sure it is dry. As far as how long to long string. Well you can use any method of tillering you choose but if you want to brace the bow when it is about 10 or 12# heavy then I would brace it when it is hitting weight at about 24" on the long string. Ignore limb travel just read the weight at 24". I usually brace at about 23" actually.

[Bob Barnes]

I heat most of my staves to that profile before tillering.  Just treat it like a straight stave and you'll be fine.  If you have a 'gizmo' use it.  You'll have to do like Steve said and work the limbs into the fades, and leave the last few inches stiff until you reduce them at the end.  It's a great profile for a hunting bow... 

[bentstick54]

Thanks to both of you. This is the only style I have made, all Osage, and have been very happy with them. My 45# to 50#+bows have been coming in around 20 to 21 oz, so I’ve at least been getting in the ballpark on mass weight. Most have started out with some dips and dives in the that I just left and tillered from that. The only heat bending I have done is taking out some twists and straightening some sideways bends in the limbs. This stave is probably seasoned 6 or 7 years, originally inside for most of those years, but the moved outside and ignored. I picked it up along with some others that looked real rough and weathered. Lots of bug holes and checking. They took a lot of work to get down past all of that to good rings. Once I did I sealed them and moved them inside to my basement for about 6 months. I’ve made two bows from these staves already and both worked out pretty good. I want to take this one slow and try to minimize the amount of set and maintain as much of the natural reflex as I can.

[bentstick54]

I used dry heat to try and balance out the natural reflex in both limbs, and just started playing on the long string. One limb has no knots or visible imperfections. The other limb has 3 solid knots, 2 of which go all the way through the limb, and 1 centered between them that starts out as a pin knot on the back but angles to the center of the belly and come see out about the same size as the other two. I will try to post photoswiththe knots picturedon the back of the bow. There is a green dot where the 3rd knot shows on the belly side. This is a symmetrical bow, so arrow pass will be at top of the handle, so 2” above center. Should I use the limb with the knots in it as my upper or lower limb?

[Selfbowman]

I’m watching ! Arvin

[bentstick54]

Got to 20” on long string today. Outer 1/3rd on left limb is showing about 1/4” of set started. This is the limb that has the knots and that I used dry heat on to try to even up the reflex to match the natural reflex of the right limb. Fresh eyes and opinions wanted. What do you guys see on tiller so far?

[bentstick54]

Having trouble getting photo to post.

[Will B]

That is looking really good on the long string.

[bentstick54]

I have it to 50# at 22” on the long string. My goal is 50# at 28”. I’ve decided to make left limb with the knots my bottom limb because it wants to stay stiffer because of the knots. Left limb has taken about 3/4” set in the outer 1/3, and right limb about 5/8” also in outer 1/3. Planning on cutting in string nocks and switching to short string at about 24” to finish out. Mass weight at this point is 22.3oz

Would really like some opinions on the tiller at this point, where you would remove wood to minimize anymore set.

[Pat B]

I'd say it's time to go to low brace, 3" to 4" and see how the string tracks. The limbs look pretty good to me.

[bentstick54]

Thanks Pat. Always glad for your opinion.

[bentstick54]

Didn’t mean to ignore your comment from yesterday Will B. Thanks, I do appreciate the input.

[bentstick54]

Got to work on it some this afternoon and filed in string nocks and strung at a 4” brace. Got grip roughed in and string tracks pretty good. Exercised it back up to 22”, then scraped and exercised, several sequences. Worked it to 50#@ 25”. Left strung to sweat for about 2 hours, so far no issues, but have lost majority of reflex in outer 1/2 of limbs. So far draw weight per inch is running a consist 2.5# to 3# per in from 10” out.