Limb Thickness - Rules of Thumb

[Burnsie]

Let's assume a 66" - 68" Osage stave intended to be a 45-50# longbow.
As you rough out your stave and then work towards floor tiller, what thickness do you work your limbs down to get you in the ballpark, before you start tillering in earnest.  I've been using 7/16"?  Or do you even have rule of thumb thicknesses in mind when you are working toward any particular weight bow?

[willie]

Hi Burnsie

If you want to learn floor tillering by feel, then my advice would be to find a heavier bow to get the feel on.

perhaps you might try bringing a stave to thickness with a long string (and spend some time floor tillering it as you go in order to get the "feel"

maybe even find a oak board to start with and try to tiller it to your weight at about brace height or slightly more.   floor tilliering is an aquired skill and "seeing the bend" is part of it