Inaugural “junior” bow trade

[sleek]

I've started on the bow, but it will be a while before I make more progress. I'm out of town for work for a few months. I'm not in danger of not completing it, I'm just not going to be posting on it a while and wanted everyone to know and understand why.

[Muskyman]

I noticed a small pen knot on the edge of my bow and I was wondering if you think it might be a problem for the bow. It’s not real big but it’s close to the edge and comes out about halfway on the side of the limb. Pictures to follow
Middle pic is the side of the limb and bottom pic is the belly of the bow.

[Muskyman]

Never mind. I was working on it today and put a caliber on that area and I had it dovetailed a little right there and took my scraper to it and had enough to remove the pen knot.  So hopefully it’s all good

[Muskyman]

Got a string on the bow today. The more I work on this bow the worse it gets, feels like it anyway.
The first string I put on it was one I had made for another bow and was to short. Tiller was 1 inch different from limb to limb measuring out 12 inches from the center line. So I took some off the stiff limb and now I have it much better but it’s still off 1/8 inch.
Still not really happy with it though. I’ll post pics of it braced.

Next question.
If I cut 1 inch off each end will it increase the draw weight?
It’s 69&1/2 inches ttt right now. I only need 27 inch draw length. I’ve been planning on doing this anyway but seems like I’m getting close to the draw weight I need and still need to do some tillering and sanding yet. I’m hoping it will give me a decent little bump in draw weight. I could use it.

[Muskyman]

Forgot pictures

[Muskyman]

Decided that cutting the tips off might help but read where it can cause set to be more likely. Figured I had nothing to loose by reheating some reflex back into it, so I clamped it down and heated it. I had taken a lot off it from when I first heated some reflex into it so I figured what the heck. I might have made the low end of the draw weight I wanted but not sure. I’ll post my results.
Already started going through my stave stash and found a couple other candidates just in case. Have also pulled out a couple billets but I’d have to splice them and don’t think I want to try and make my first attempt at splicing with this build.

[superdav95]

Mike I think you could start with taking just a 1/2” off each end and see first where you are at for weight.  Yes it will increase draw weight but at only 27” draw it shouldn’t be a problem if you tiller it good.  Doing another session of heat after shortning it should give you a good idea where you are.  You may be closer then you think with just that little shorter and another heat session.  It’s coming along and lookin like a bow. 

[stuckinthemud]

Looks like you are really close.  This is where set starts happening for my bows as I get impatient/fed up/frustrated.  Piking doesn’t add as much weight as you might hope as when you re-shape the new tips most of the weight disappears-you may gain 5lb though, and that could be all you need. But it does increase the chances of set.  Take your time, you are really close.  Take a few days away from it, start a new project and come back fresh if need be, there’s plenty of time left

[Muskyman]

Thanks for the input guys. I took it off my form this morning and one limb was a little different than the other. I clamped it back down and put a little heat to it. Will let that sit for a couple hours then live with the result. Probably just didn’t get enough heat in the one area where it was bending a little different. Haven’t piked it yet but probably will. Still need to put my tip overlays on yet too. I’m guessing I should degrease it before putting overlays on. Denatured alcohol or acetone one or the other. Limbs are pretty straight. Put my laser on it yesterday.

[Muskyman]

Got it back to about 3&1/2 inches of reflex and cleaned it off with acetone. Now going to let it sit for a day or two and rehydrate before I do anything else to it. May cut the tips off still. It’s 69& 1/2 inches now   Then I’ll slowly tiller it out and put overlays on it.

[superdav95]

Sounds like a good plan Mike. 

[Muskyman]

Well I took my bow out to the shop today and strung it back up. It appears to me to have a bit of a whip tiller about 8-9 inches from the tip and I don’t really think I’ll have enough weight left to tiller that out of it and hit my draw weight.

So I have another question… if I bend static recurves into the last 8 inches of it will that help me get some draw weight back or will the whip tiller still be there in front of the recurve on the weak limb. I’ll try and post some pictures later today so you can see what I’m dealing with and what I’m thinking of trying to make this still work out for me.

Either way I definitely learned a lesson about making bows. One I won’t forget. I can still make a nice bow out of it but maybe not as stout as I wanted.

[Muskyman]

The reflex was a bit different in the limb so I bent it and evened them up yesterday.. I might make it. This is it at almost 20 inches and 33 lbs..think it’ll make 45 lbs at 27 inches?

Left limb is a little flat on the outer half looks like to me.

[Muskyman]

Pretty much done. Only thing I’ll do from here in take a little off the tip and put whitetail tip overlays on.. after sanding with 120 grit it weights 43.5 lbs. I actually shot it a few times today. I’ll put the overlays on it and check the tiller again then finish sanding it and shape the tips a bit. It’s a 1 & 1/2 lbs under my target weight but I’m going to live with that.

[Muskyman]

Pretty much done. Only thing I’ll do from here in take a little off the tip and put whitetail tip overlays on.. after sanding with 120 grit it weights 43.5 lbs. I actually shot it a few times today. I’ll put the overlays on it and check the tiller again then finish sanding it and shape the tips a bit. It’s a 1 & 1/2 lbs under my target weight but I’m going to live with that.