Hickory-Short-Sinew build... Tiller time! (pics page 5)

[Fox]

Thanks Parnell  yes outer thirds do look stiff but as brad said they are reflexed so Im thinking there good too

[Fox]

Well starting to shoot good! And I’m liking the way it feels... worked on the handle a bit too... sorry didn’t get pics.... but now headed back to town for a few days and will be back to work on it this weekend

[bradsmith2010]

hey congrats on shootin good,, 

[bownarra]

Yes so this is something I’ve wondered about.. so when tillering a bow with uneven reflex, so at full draw do you want the limbs to “look” like there bending the same distance?  Or do you want the limb with more reflex to look like it’s bending less the the other limb?

No the limbs must be strained an equal amount. If not you won't get equal return speed from each limb resulting in handshock.
The unbraced, braced and full draw profiles should represent the 'imbalances' in limb profile.
This is why a lot of people heat treat and correct side profile at the same time. A bow where the tips sit even is way easier to tiller than an uneven bow.

[Fox]

Well crap I noticed the majority of the top limb everywhere except right out of fades and towards the tip has tiny chrysalis 

[bradsmith2010]

on belly or back,, if its back,, it is just the glue

[Fox]

It’s belly.... both limbs are lined with little ones for almost the whole limb

[bradsmith2010]

   wow thats crazy, I never would have seen that coming,,I would like to blame the wood, I think you did good on the tiller,,
well sorry bout that,, it was looking great,
  ive only done that to hickory one time, I made a bow and the backing was too thick, a hickory backing on hickory,,
maybe try osage next time, its pretty durable with a sinew back,, I really dont know,,what to think,,

[Fox]

I didn’t expect that either... oh well I did learn how to sinew a bow atleast.... all my hickory bows have Chrysalid except one.... I must be doin something wrong with the stuff 

[bradsmith2010]

possibly overstraining it in the early stages of getting it to bend even,, I dont know,,

[Fox]

Yeah possibly.... any estimates on how long it could last ?

[bradsmith2010]

if the tiller is not shifting..keep shooting
a friend of mine had an osage bow that had fretts on belly , he shot it several years,,but it did fail, it pulled up a big splinter and it is retired now,, he thinks he overstrained it in early stages of tiller,,

[Fox]

Alrighty

[gutpile]

never had a hickory chrysall... you got to get them below 13%.. 12 is top... no lower than 9... very important.. hickory will basically till itself when moisture is above 13... causing you to over strain the bow and not even know it.. my thoughts are your bow soaked up too much moisture during the sinew process and you didn't give it enough time to dry to the above %..your sinew may have appeared dry but the wood wasn't..  sinew and hickory are like oil and water down south.. I killed a sinew hickory bow basically the same way you have except it never made it off the tree .. lesson learned and it was basically because the wood wasn't dry enough.. I'd get that sinew back when it fails.. and it will eventually... if you try that combo again.. bring it inside to dry and give it a minimum of 3 months... sorry to hear that buddy.. I know you put the work in it...as for how long it might last my guess would be around 200 shots .. it will start to take set and you know she is on the way out..  gut

[Digital Caveman]

I think it will be very hard to tell how long the bow will last without actually seeing it.  I have had bows with serious frets last a long time, they just didn't shoot as well as my others and they eventually got shelved.