My first bow from a stave is braced!

[hedgeapple]

Here's my fist bow I've attempted from a stave.  It's a hickory, 65" t2t, 3/8 in tips, 1 1/8 wide handle, 1 1/4" thick handle, 1 5/8" at the fades.  It draws 40# at 16" right now.  It originally had 1 1/2 inch reflex.  Now it has 3/4" set.  I've worked it slowly using a scaper.  I've exercised it 30 times between wood removal.  I heat treated the belly, but only after it had taken the set.  I should have done it sooner.  My thoughts for the biggest reason for the set is it's hickory and I'm in KY with 80% plus RH.  I hoping for a 50-55# at 28 inch draw.  Any advice is welcome.



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[ricktrojanowski]

Looking good.  You have plenty of room to work the bow.  If you are at 40# @ 16"  figure about 3# per inch.  So you are at roughly  76# @ 28".  If it were me I would leave the area alone by your arrows that mark out the knots, and work the inner limb.  Keep it up and enjoy, but don't get too attached. 

[Aosda]

JMO, but it looks like you have an 8" handle section there.  Depending on what you're looking for, you might be able to reduce your handle to get some more working limb. Just my opinion though.

Otherwise it's looking good so far.  In the top pic it looks like your left limb is bending just slightly more that the right, but it could be the light.

[xin]

Put it in a hot box between tillering sessions.  This will help keep it dry while you are working on it.  Then give it a good stay in the hot box before sealing.  This will help avoid set.  Remember this was the bow wood of choice among the  Indians of your area.  The bow looks good and will probably shoot well even it it does have a little set.

[hedgeapple]

Thanks guys for all your advice.  It is really appreciated.

Rick, I am leaving extra wood around the knots.  There's 2 growth rings above the pin knot that goes throught the side limb and 3 addition lateral grains around the knot that starts on the edge of the limb from the back side.  This knot doesn't go all the way through the limbe, but I thought a little extra wood there would not hurt.

Aosda, the handle section did get a bit longer than what I wanted.  I was going for a 4 1/2 hand with fades from the handle to the limb being  1 1/2 inch.  There is a bend in the lateral grain at the handle.  So, when I laid out the bow following the center lateral grain I ended up with an 8 1/2 handle from fade to fade.  I wanted a little bend in the handle.  I don't have any logical reason for that, but I thought that's what I wanted.  haha  And that's what I have right now.  I can feel the bend in the handle when I draw the bow.  I will probably take your advice and reduce the handle a bit more as the tiller process continues.  The good thing about the bend in the handle, it gets me closer to a center shoot situation--similar to Pappy's and Greg's snake bow they're working on now.

xin, what a simpe and great idea.  I never thought of using a hotbox.  I'll build one tomorrow.  Been wanting one anyhow.  Thanks

[Pappy]

xin is right ,keep it dry or it will take a bunch of set,if you don't have a hot box,put it in the house over an AC duct while you ant working on it.If you are only at a short brace and pulling it be sure
to go slow and never pull it over the weight you want.I only pull one out far enough to see what it needs ,scrap a little and pull it to that point again.I usually tiller Hickory in 3 or 4 sessions.First to brace,then out to 10 inches or so then out to about 20 then on to full draw letting it rest and dry in between.Hope this helps.
   Pappy

[hedgeapple]

Pappy, I've never pulled it beyond 40#.  I keep the bow hung on it's string in the house, but not over the AC duct.  I'll move it today.  I've done about 20 tillering session to get it to low brace.  I said I was taking it slowly.  haha  Most of the time there has been several days between tillering session, but always at least 24 hours.

Thanks for the input.
Dave

[George Tsoukalas]

From the fades to about 8-10 inches out, needs to bend more. Don't pull the stave any further than it takes to expose a problem. Jawge

[hedgeapple]

Thanks Jawge,  That's the area I've been working on.