need help and opinions on my first bow

[Kenny H]

hello everyone my name is Kenny and i have finally tried to make my first bow.I have been a bowhunter as long as ive hunted but it wasnt until a beautiful cover page on the Kroger store shelf caught my eye over 3 years ago and my life to become a true Primitive Archer was on the way. I am still a long way from becoming primitive but each day im learning more and more. Last year i hunted with and used only traditional euiptment. I own several recurves but I really want to hunt this year with my own bow I made.I guess i could write a novel on how I feel about the PA mag. and primitive hunting but I wont.( your welcome here is my bow roughed out and shooting.I guess my biggest challenge so far is the tillering.Not real sure if im getting this part right. I started out with what you all consider easy(maybe for you). I did the board bow build along using red oak i bought from Lowes.(that right lumber lol )The handle is made of poplar. Its 72" inches long but 70 ntn (i think thats correct) 1 1/2 at the fades and tapers to 3/8 at the tips. i did put a fiberglass backing because they said if the grain wasnt all the way through it could break.I didnt want to back it. It pulls about 42 pounds at 28". I know its not perfect but this is what i think are my issues. I missed my target weight by a bunch trying to do a good job on the tiller. i still think it has tillering problems but im affraid to shave off anymore wood.( weight loss) It has a tremendous amount of string follow after being unstrung. I can flex it backwards and put it back into a straight bow again though. i set my brace at 8 inches i think you all will tell me thats to much. i will attach a pic with this so you all can give me some help if you would please.The string is my first also i think its a flemish string. same string i used to tiller with i just kept shortening it. Ill make a new oneif the bow survives and is completed.thank you in advance for any help and opinions you all can give me. thank you PA for a great site and the best mag ive ever got. the pic isnt real clear i had to change it to a .gif file and shrink it to fit the 200 kb allowed.








































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[Apex Predator]

I'm just a beginner as well, but this is what I would do.  First, I suspect that the fiberglass backing is too strong for the compression capabilities of red oak, and is what has caused a good bit of your set.  I would work on getting the limbs bending more towards the handle.  That may take you down to 35# or so on draw weight.  Then I would take 1" off of each tip, and cut in new string grooves.  That could take you up 5+ pounds in weight.  Carefully check tiller as you pull it to full draw again.  As long as tiller remains good you can cut off a couple of more inches.  At 66" NTN you should be able to make a 50# bow out of her.  What have you got to lose?  What was your target weight?  I hope this helps some.

[adb]

Hey, Kenny
Welcome aboard! I'd do pretty much what Apex suggested. Your bow is whip tillered, meaning the outer 1/3 of each limb is doing all the work. You need to get it bending more at the fades. This is something you should do sooner, rather than later. You have some room to re-tiller by piking it, and with any luck, bringing it to hunting weight. Don't give up!

[Dano]

I'd do as Apex said, and shorten up that handle area, you only need 4" for a handle and 1 1/2 to 2" for the fades. Just keep in mind any area thats flat needs to bend more. The upper limb inner third needs to bend more, and the lower outer third needs to bend. You've got plenty of length to make wieght don't worry.

[Kegan]

You said fiberglass backing- do you mean fiberglass mesh tape? If so, this won't mess with overpowering the red oak. Anyway. I would pike it and recut the nocks (1/2" form the tips instead of a full inch) down to about 66"-68", and make the handle-to-fade area into a concave taper to the limbs (this will shorten the handle area and get it looking all pretty). At this point, don't restring it, but bend it gently over your knee. Slowly, repeatedly. Close your eyes and feel the bend. Remove wood from the stiff spots/limb. Once it feels even, brace it at about 4" and check the bend. If all is good, try 6". Once you get it there (which will be full brace), let it sit for a couple hours to get used to bending at this shorter length.

After that, you check the bow and ease it to full draw (short drawingit first to watch the bend). Once you get it to full draw, if you removed slowly and carefully, you should have a fine 50# weapon that will really sling an arrow. Just remember, that you want the bow to be bending in almost a perfect smi-cirlce, slightly stiff in the handle, to get all the wood bending.

Other than that, you have a fine bow there, and a rally nice start!!!

[George Tsoukalas]

If you shorten it be sure that you get the bending to start at the end of the fades. What has kept this bow together so far, in addition to the tape, is that it is long. There's tillering info on my site. Jawge
http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/

[mullet]

 There is no need for my comment, Jawge has all the info on board bows you need. But if you want to back it, there are natural backings that work almost as good as glass.

[loco cacahuate]

Im far from being an expert, but isn't 8" a bit high for a brace height?

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

Start an other one !!!.... better than messing with this one,

 don't ever expect too much from your first few bows, use them to learn the ropes, for 5 bucks a 2X1 you can afford that.

Try make a bow without an handle next, just pay attention to the bend in the bow.

6" is plenty for brace, on wooden bows.

...Ho yeah, slap some linen, silk or cotton on it, forget the GLASS

[Dano]

Yep, 6" or less would be fine, but that's the least of the problem.  We were all beginners once.

[Pat B]

Welcome aboard Kenny. You did a good job for your first bow. Lots of good info above. Do check out George's site.    On your next bow let us help you with the tiller. A few pics now and then will get-r-done.        Pat

[radius]

These guys are all giving good advice.  The majority of the available wood in the limbs is near the handle:  there, the limbs are widest, and thickest.  So, that part of the bow must be tillered to bend.  The lower limb in this bow bends closer to the handle than the upper limb, and so more of the wood is working in your favour.  When you make your next bow, try to get some bend happening at the fades right away ---don't over stress it!  just get it to bend---then concentrate on tillering a smooth arc all the way out to the tip.

Good going, man.  Scott

[Far East Archer]

The red area are bending too much and blue is where wood should be removed.
Hope this help a bit if you decide to redo it.

Btw, Welcome to forum!
Great first bow! Do not worry much about it, we all start somewhere. 

Alex

[DBernier]

Not withstanding all the good advice, a fine job for your first bow. Piking and working on the handle area, that is, concave and slight shortening, one inch, each end of the fades, will work wonders on this bow. Check "Jawge" site. A wealth of concentrated info there.

Dick

[shamus]

not much I can add, all has pretty much been covered.