D Cross Section Bow or ELB

[bigcountry]

How does one tiller a D cross section yew bow?  I know on flat 'bellyed" bows, I use a cabinet scraper, but when someone makes a rounded belly bow, how do they keep it even? 

Is this a bow recommended for a beginner?

[Ryano]

I'm not sure what your asking....but I use a scraper and a rasp for tillering no mater what shape the cross section is.

[Papa Matt]

Hey Big~

So far every bow I've ever made has had a rounded belly, at least slightly, except for my Ash or Black Locust bows. I think it's easier to leave them rounded, and I would think it would be fine for a beginner. As far as making them even, I do it by feel, and also with the help of the tiller, which will sometimes show you where it's not evenly round. When the tiller is good, and you know you've not intentionally spent more time scraping one side than the other, it usually is even.. The only way to chech after that, is by sight and most importantly, feel. Close your hand loosely around the bow, and push each limb through slowly.

-Matt

[YewArcher]

Cabinet Scraper just like any other bow.

SJM

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

The cabinet scraper only really touches the wood in a tiny portion of it's length, much easyer to make a rounded belly than a truly flat one

[bigcountry]

Ok, now I am lost more than ever.  I have made flat belly'd bows.  When tillering, I keep the belly flat and just use a flat scraper to scrape.

But on a D-cross section bow or rounded belly, I no longer will keep the belly flat.  It will be rounded.  If I use a cabinet scraper, it will flatten the belly or make the cross section look oval?  And on ELBs, I thought you didn't want to flatten the belly, but wanted it more rounded and rounded all the way up the limb?  Unles you use a rounded cabinet scraper?  Does any of this question make sense?   Do you keep the belly perfectly rounded?

[bigcountry]

The cabinet scraper only really touches the wood in a tiny portion of it's length, much easyer to make a rounded belly than a truly flat one

Ok, so what you saying, is its not essential to keep the belly perfectly rounded?  There will be flat spots from tillering?

[Papa Matt]

Big, you're thinking on it too deep, brother! Take a breath and realize that the bow is however you make it.

The belly will be as flat or as rounded as you make it be, regardless of what you scrape it with. On an ELB, most of those were Yew, and as I understand it, yew is extremely strong in compression, so the back was left flat and the belly rounded. But not all woods are best if left with a round belly. Some are more efficient if left flat.

If you're going to have a rounded belly, you can scrape with something flat, and just scrape more toward the edges so the belly is left rounded. I don't know what a cabinet scraper is. But if it has a rainbow edge, higher in the middle of the blade, then of course it will scrape in its own shape-curved. Personally I just use a sharp little pocket knife and scrape flat when I want flat, or round when I want round. You can do almost anything with a sharp little pocket knife.

Does this help?

-Matt

[Ryano]

No it will be round not flat....your making this way harder than it needs to be. When your tillering you remove material in a way that it will aways leave a round belly not flat.....You need to remove material from the edge of the limbs as you tiller as well as the belly....I don't know how I could explain it any better......?   As Many said its actually easier to make a rounded belly than a perfectly flat one.

[adb]

Hey, Big
Regardless of belly profile, a rasp and cabinet scraper are still the tools of choice. You keep the profile even by eye, and constant checking. Trust your eye, and your touch. If you think it looks even, it probably is. I don't make many true flat bellied bows, it's harder than making the belly round.

[bigcountry]

Thanks, I think I got it.  I have a yew stave that has like 3/4"-1" of sapwood.  And initially I was going to take it down to alot less, and make a flatbow with 1.5" limbs.  But then I started thinkin with all that sapwood, it would make a better rounded belly narrow D-Bow or working handle.  I heard on here, that I wouldn't need all that sapwood for a flatbow. 

When I get to tiller stage, I usualy put away my nicholson 49 and just use a cabinet scraper.  But on a rounded belly bow, if I scrape too much of one side, just work the other?

[YewArcher]

Remove wood evenly on the arc of the cross section. Work it along the arc.

SJM

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

You can make a perfectly round arrow with a scraper and sand paper, apply the same tecnique to your ELB.

[George Tsoukalas]

When I'm going round, which is not often,  I set the belly shape early on and keep it as I tiller. I use a scraper-like too Swedish push knife to bring it home. Jawge

[YewArcher]

Yes, corse grit sandpaper works well  for fine tillering elb profiles. Just cup your hand around the belly.