Someone PLEASE HELP!!

[Don]

This is my first bow by myself with out a person with the know how to guide me.[My second bow in total].
It's 58" NTN 1 1/2" wide. Osage
It looked OK at brace [#40] but when I went from long string to regular string and was bring it up to #40 @ 25" it got this bad hinge in the right limb which will be the bottom limb. I have NO idea what I did wrong or what to do with it. I was pretty proud of my self untill this.
I hope someone can help me salvage this.
This was going to be for my wife so being light in wieght doesn't matter.
Thanks. Don

[snedeker]

You simply had that area bending too much and didn't pick up on it until you went short string.  The only thing to do is mark that area on the belly for about 8" and take wood away from the rest of the bow.  A good training excercise.    Your pic brings back fond memories of some of mine.

Dave

[sailordad]

im no expert but i think you could probably back it with hickory or boo and that would probably help.

good luck

                                                    tim

[Dano]

Is that a knot in the middle of the right limb?

[radius]

the knot area will need to be thicker, and so will probably remain stiffer...a challenge for you, since that's the area where you need to remove wood to even out the bend in that limb.

remember the mantra:  "leave it alone where it bends too much, and remove wood where it doesn't bend enough"

just keep chanting that to yourself while tillering, and it will save you tons of trouble.


Radius

[Dano]

I usually brace a bow for the first time at about 3", looks like you got about 6 or 7" that ain't good either, that put too much stress on that one area, that wasn't there on long string.

[mullet]

 At this stage, I'd flatten the back and back it with hickory like sailordad suggested. If not, I think you might be shooting for a 10 to 15# bow now.

[madcrow]

If you are going to back it, you could always glue in a little reflex.

[Don]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll work on it in the morning.
I think people 3 block away got an ear full when I saw that. 
I hope I can get it right.
Don

[Don]

Well it's a bit better know. I weakened the other limb. went back to the long string, tillered the best I could and shortened the limb tips to bring up the weight.
It's still not perfect but to my surprise it shoots really well. It came in at  56" ntn #40@27".
Well I'm learning, the next one should go better, I hope.
Thanks. Don

[DanaM]

Nice save and you learned a bunch, I bet the next one will be much better

[Eric Krewson]

Still looks pretty hingy. On your next one make yourself a tillering gizmo and start using it right after you floor tiller and are still on the long string.  Guaranteed, no more hinges if you use it correctly and don't get in a hurry.

The bottom line is it takes an artists eye to see every little short coming during the tillering process. Most people don't have that ability and overlook something that is obvious to a more experienced bowyer. The gizmo will point out things you just can't see  when you are a beginning bow maker.

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=033419

[sailordad]

Still looks pretty hingy. On your next one make yourself a tillering gizmo and start using it right after you floor tiller and are still on the long string.  Guaranteed, no more hinges if you use it correctly and don't get in a hurry.

The bottom line is it takes an artists eye to see every little short coming during the tillering process. Most people don't have that ability and overlook something that is obvious to a more experienced bowyer. The gizmo will point out things you just can't see  when you are a beginning bow maker.

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=033419

i am in total agreement with E.K.

i made myself a gizmo with my first attempt at making a bow,it turned out pretty well to i might add. i think it was due to the gizmo.

i did get a hing in another bow even though i used the gizmo,but that was cause i rushed making the bow.i did manage to pretty much get rid of the hing later.
however that did cost me a great amount of draw weight though,  the gizmo and patience my two favorite tools when making sticks into bows 


good luck youll get the hang of it, keep us posted and ask the many talented folks on here(i'm not one of them) lots of questions,they'll have the answers you need.

                                                                    peace,
                                                                           tim

[Don]

Thanks for the encouragement, that always helps.

Eric. I remember reading about that gizmo before and forgot all about it. I will get one of these made.
 
Thanks. Don

[Pappy]

Nice save,it will probably work for a light weight bow,you just have to much bend
in the mid limb area,you will know better next time.That is the only way to learn and much better than my first several, at least it shoots and arrow.
   Pappy