Tillering Tricks 101

[knightd]

Let's post some of the tillering tricks that we all use.. I'm talking about the things you just do! with out even thinking about it much anymore.. Like I put A pencil mark on one side of the handle so I can always put the bow on the tree with the same limb to the left every time.. Or like I put straight lines where I need to take off wood and circles where I need to leave it alone. Or if your weak limb seams to be bending to much in the middle leave it alone until you get the stiff limb working more.
 and sometimes the week limb will be bending just fine at that point..
 

[Ryano]

I use the back side of a old saw's all blade for a scraper and a straight edge to check tiller from the belly side of the bow while the bow is strung and at partial draw on the tillering tree. I only put pencil marks where I want to remove more material.

[Bowbound]

My tillering trick is just to take it very slowly.

[Pat B]

I like to put a reference mark(pencil line) down the sides of each limb, following the back and remove wood to that point, check floor tiller and if needed(which it usually does) put another line a tad closer to the back and try again. Once I get good floor tiller I don't use it anymore.  I usually only add an "X" where I want to remove wood and circle places I don't want wood removed.
   In most cases I leave the handle area and the last 6" of each limb untouched until the very last so corrections can be made and I have a place to clamp the bow without hurting the finished bow. On an osage bow I'm working on now though, because of extra fine growth rings and many back violations, I have rounded the back edges, shaped the handle on the back and given it all a good scraping and sanding. Because of the violated back I will rawhide back this bow and I want to do that and let it cure before I continue tillering.

[George Tsoukalas]

Put a series of pencil marks and the scrape enough to remove them. Or count the # of  passes to keep both limbs tillered evenly. Don't confine your scraping  to the target area but  go a bit beyond. Cuts down on hinges. Also, to cut down on hinging, when reducing weight go the whole length of the limb. Count your passes too. Check tiller frequently. Jawge

[woodenwonder]

I have several trick, but none of them are "primitive." So, if that bothers you, skip my post.

My first trick, and I'm supprised more people dont talk about it, is using your tiller tree and, with the bow partially drawn, mark a line under one limb with a marker. Then reverse the bow in the tree, draw to same position, and mark under that limb with a different color marker. Note the difference.


I usally design the bow with a Excel program called selfarc 10. I then draw the bow full size to the measurements the program tell me with Autocad here at work and plot it out.


Alast trick I've used on my last bow with great success, is a tool I make with dial indicator in it. I run it along the back of the limb and note the curve radius. This trick can give you a perfect curve of any radii you want, and you can match both limbs. The tiller can be perfectly circular or any other. Really works.








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[knightd]

WOW!! woodenwonder that is a little to high tech for me..lol.. 

[Eric Krewson]

Gizmo, gizmo, gizmo, fool proof and simple.
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=033419

[Keenan]

 "Let's post some of the tillering tricks that we all use.. I'm talking about the things you just do! with out even thinking about it"

  Ok you asked for it:

 First method:  look at it till cross eyed.

 Second Method; Drag the wife ,daughter and son out to the shop to look at it till cross eyed

 Third method: If wife and kids aren't home, summon the neighbors to look at it till cross eyed
 
 Fourth method; If it's not broke yet and completely and noticeably hinged. Post pics on Primitive Archer and wait for someone to tell me where it's off.

Ok I promise to get serious and share when I have more time!

 

[Gordon]

That's funny Keenan 

Best of luck on your surgery today - we're all pulling for you.

[Pat B]

Gordon, I think we will all have to pull for Keenan for a while after his surgery! 

   I very rarely know what a bow will look like when I am done. I let the stave tell me as we work along.    I've just started using Eric's Gizmo and ...why didn't I think of that?!!!

[AKAPK]

I use  A chopper to get the  Profile I want then use a spokeshave to get to the thickness of fades to the tips then I use a scraper to tiller so I will go slower, I started using the 6 inch block of wood with the pencil in it to assist after I get full brace cause of the far sidedness then scrape sharpen scraper, scrape and think  how the other bowyer are getting there deer,during all that i'm counting my scrapes then when I'm getting closer to the official draw weight I reduce the amount of scrapes by 10's,then when i get a smile from the tiller I know I'm finished Tillering.Phillip 
(Speedy Recovery Mr Keenan)

[Keenan]

 Thanks guys:

[knightd]

Keenan  I wish you a fast recovery..

[David Long]

Woodenwonder that is some kind of wonderful! It's really great to see people approach problems in creative ways that suit their own styles. I myself give a bow EVERY chance it can to show set throughout the tillering process. I don't over stress the wood, but since my interest is durable hunting bows, after I have a nice even bend I'll leave it braced overnight or a few hours, then proceed. I draw it a lot and this slows everything down, which is good for antsy people like me  . I keep that thing "teach the wood to bend" in my head. More an attitude than a trick I guess. Dave