string + limb alignment

[mitchman]

is it bad if the string doesnt go straight down the middle of the bow.

[El Destructo]

I have made several that the String doesn't track straight down the Center....I made sure that when I had them laid out....that the String tracked down the side the Arrow would be resting...and this made them more like a center shot Bow....worked out great for Me.......

[Kegan]

I lost a bow that way. It chrysalled all along the edge and then a fret like a pice of pie popped out. Get it as straight as you can, any "side bending" will weaken the wood and shorten the life expenctancy A little wandering is one thing, but after that, I try to keep them straight. I really liked that bow too .

[El Destructo]

As long as the Tips line up....and the limbs arent being propellor twisted when drawn....I dont see any problem here........

[George Tsoukalas]

I think it's overrated but we can discuss fixes that don't involve heat if you are interested. Propellor twisted bows work fine too. Jawge

[Keenan]

 Tips and handle should be in line. What the limb dose in between doesn't matter as long as it's not stressing the limb in a certain spot or have severe grain run out.
  Getting the string to align is fairly simple. refer to some of the buildalongs. See Gordons Hazelnut or the Syringa Character bow buildalong that I did. Both of those buildalongs show how to straighten the string alignment.

[DanaM]

Working on a vine maple now that when I started on it the string was about 4" off to the side after steaming I got it down to
about an inch, some wood removal and 2 sessions with the heat gun and its right on the edge, probably have to do one more alignment on it.
It wasn't a very nice piece of wood But waste not, want not eh. I will be happy with the string anywhere on the handle

[El Destructo]

This Bow is 5 years old ...and shot all the time....and nothing lines up....and it's Birch.....and it propellor twists....so there is 2 strikes according to some....but still there is no signs of stress....no string follow....no frets.....no chrysals....Dont worry..... Be Happy!!!

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Hillbilly]

Ahh, you must be discovering the joys of osage.  Get it so that the tips are lined up with the center of the handle. If the tips and the handle line up, it doesn't matter what it does between them. Easiest time to correct side-to-side movement is after you have cut out the back profile, but the stave is stilll thick. That osage will bend like butter with some heat/steam. Seal the back before heating or steaming it to keep it from possibly checking.

[mitchman]

thanks for the info. how do i seal it, what do i seal it with is this like the finish or do i take it off
 

[El Destructo]

Shellac works good...you just want something that will keep the wood from being in direct contact with the Steam...beleive it or not....this will dry it out worse...and it will possibly Check or worse...

[Hillbilly]

Like Mike said, spray shellac or just wood glue either work well. It's just a temporary sealer to keep moisture from escaping too fast-You'll wind up scraping it back off before you do the final sanding/sealing on the bow. I had a couple osage and locust staves check pretty badly after heat bending before I started sealing them.

[mitchman]

so should i just =cover it (will polyuerethane work) then bend it. should i just go down another ring.so its a full ring.

[El Destructo]

Poly will work....but why would you want to chase down another ring?? Did you violate this one?? Seal it....let it dry a day or so...then steam it ...bend it...steam it more if you still need more....once it is aligned.....let it sit a few days to make sure that the extra Moisture has gone....then start to work on it like any other Stave