My thinner limb is stiffer ... what to do?

[Digital Caveman]

Hello All,
I've been shadowing here for a while now.  I am wrapping up my first bow in a while, and for some reason the bottom limb is stiffer, but also noticeably thinner.  The wood is a very clean straight hickory stave.  Any thoughts?  I don't want to thin the lower limb any more until I know what is happening, it could go back out of tiller in a bad way.  The top limb is 1 9/16 inches wide, and the bottom is 1 5/8, but that can't be enough to cause this much difference in thickness.  More photos later.  There is maybe 15 degrees twist between the limbs.

[mmattockx]

Are the limbs the same length? You are pulling on the string near the center?


Mark

[George Tsoukalas]

Flip the bow around and check the tiller from the other side. Prop twists can be deceiving.

If one of my limbs gets too thin it means it was too wide so I begin to narrow it and  check tiller frequently.

Jawge

[RyanY]

In some cases I’ve had staves that didn’t want to bend even with excessive wood removal. Eventually they do and it ends up hinging. Leave it strung for a while, exercise it a lot, shoot it. Give it some time to make sure the wood adjusts to the wood removal.

[superdav95]

I second what Ryan said.  I’ve had some do the same.  Question have you heat treated this bow.?  I’ve also had it where my heat treatment was little uneven and caused a stiffer limb.  Just a thought.  Best of luck on your build. 

[bownarra]

the right hand limb is bending too much in the inner 1/3rd. This needs sorting first.
Can you show a picture with it being drawn by hand.
Limbs should be the same width.
Are they the same length? eg. where is measured center?
If anything the bottom limb would benefit from being a little thinner/wider to take the higher strain the lower sees but even still make them the same width profile!

[bradsmith2010]

sometimes wood in one limb is different than other ,, just because thickness is same,, does not mean they bend the same,, you just tiller accordingly,,, you have not stated how far you have drawn the bow etc,,,, even it up the best you can,, exercise it a bit,, and see what it does,, it may not have settled in, or revealed its true self,,,
when you get to full draw it could shift a bit,,

not to confuse the issue,, but I have had bows that the stiff limb at brace,,, was the weaker limb at full draw,,, in that case I tiller for my balance at full draw,,

[Badger]

   I can think of a couple of possible reasons. If one limb had taken set because of a tillering error it might be a bit weaker but thicker. And if the bow was stored vertically one end could be drier than the other end. I would let it dry out some more and see if it changes. In any case, if it is damaged that has already been done and can't be reversed. I would just tiller it out right and see how it looks.

[Digital Caveman]

The limbs are the same length and it is drawn from the center.  The difference in bend is visible when you flip it around, though not quite as much, due to twist.  The set is about even on both limbs, I have drawn it out to ~62# @ 20".  The target is 55-60# @ 26".  It is 62"KTK.  I thought the problem may be uneven wood, but not really, because this stave is so clean and even.  It could be a moisture issue, I'll give it some time, and exercise it some more.  This has not been heat treated yet. 
Thanks for the feedback. 

[BowEd]

You may be ok yet not going past 20" and with time to fix it evenly on both limbs.Usually at around 24" is when the set will want to appear.If it's good and dry and excersized enough it'll show ya.
Really good dry hickory can be stubborn to show tiller sometimes.You'll get acquainted with this piece of wood.

[George Tsoukalas]

I once thinned a limb so much it broke and whacked me in the head.
That's why i suggested above you begin to narrow the limb which I have done many times in that situation.
Jawge