first bow

[aruge]

Well, folks. Here is the bow I was asking how to back with linen a couple of weeks ago. It's a red oak board. It's 72 inches tip to tip. 40# @ 29 inches. I put about 50 arrows through it and it didn't break, so I guess that's good. I still have work to do on the handle and tips and put a finish on it, plus a little shaping overall, but I'm happy so far. This is fun.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[aruge]

Guess you can't see it very good. I'll try to get better pictures next post.

[aruge]

Try again

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Pat B]

It is still hard to see but it looks like its not bending enough in the last 2/3 of each limb. Most of the bend is just outside of the fade areas.  If you can take another pic with a solid back ground it makes it easier to see. 
   And yes, if you can get 50 arrows through it and it doesn't break, that is a good thing!     Pat

[radius]

i agree with pat:  the thing could bend more in the outer parts of the limbs...i know you might not want to reduce the wood anymore, because you lose draw weight that way, but it'll get your tiller on track:  this will make more wood available for work, and help reduce set.  Set is inevitable in a board bow if only the first 1/3 of the limb bends:  all the pressure is put there, and this weakens the fibers, and they take set.  If it were me, i would get the limbs into a more efficient tiller, even if it drops the bow to 30# or so, and then glue on a 3/16 strip of hickory to the back.  This will bring up the draw weight and also help the oak (more brittle than hickory) to survive.

[aruge]

Thanks guys. i see what you mean. If I shortened the limbs a little and took some wood off toward the tips, could I retain the draw weight? It's already backed with linen. Can you put hickory over that?

[Pat B]

Like Radius, I would work on getting the tiller right first then shorten it a bit to increase weight. The linen would be easy enough to remove if you wanted to back it with hickory. What glue did you use? Pat

[aruge]

TB3

[aruge]

Thanks again guys. I'll work on the tiller this week. I'll see where the weight is after I get that right. Next time I'll work with the photographer a little longer.

[Badger]

    Looks pretty good for a first attempt. Most of us broke a stack of them before we ever got a shooter. Something else you might consider. You have allready broken the bow in where it is at. Most likley has taken most all the set is gonna take, Maybe you could narrow the outer limbs in width if you have enough wood just until they start to bend a tad. Then maybe you could trim an inch or so from each limb to get your weight back up. Steve

[Pappy]

Great first attempt, Nothing like your first shooter.
   Pappy

[Eric Krewson]

Your first is much better than my first. My first blew up after 30 shots, so poorly made that even the sinew on the back couldn't keep it together.

[aruge]

I've been working on the tiller. The left limb doesn't seem to want to change much. I've taken a lot of wood off. Is there a hinge near the fade? Is that my problem. Should I leave it alone or keep at it. The weight hasn't changed much.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Justin Snyder]

No hinge there that I can see.  Just keep going real slow like and exercise it a little as you go.  Justin

[sailordad]

standard disclaimer: i am fairly new at this yet so you might want to wait for someone with more knowledge

i dont see a hinge yet either,  like justin said go real slow and excersize those limbs.

when i am at this point in tillering i like to take 40 scrapes then excersize the limbs 100 pulls. that usually gets the limbs used to moving.
have you gotten it on the short string as of yet? that will show true tiller better than the long string also.

good luck

                                                                            peace,
                                                                                tim