Pride goes before a fall

[DC]

I think that's where skills and experience rear their ugly head. I'm slowly getting there with the skills but I'm depending on this site for the experience

[willie]

very pertinent discussion, as I am just at that break-in stage with a new bow on the tree
how do most do the final break-in or controlled "overstress"? seems to me like all the exercising earlier on in the tiller process is not as critical as the way a bow is treated once you reach full draw.
and how much weight loss off the "pinnacle", do most feel is a happy medium for a hunting bow?
thanks
willie
 

[crooketarrow]

  I learned the hard way twice back in the day. I only shoot 26 1/2 And I always like to over build my bows a inch maybe 2. All stave bows are a little different.

 So I any one pulled my bow I handed them one of my arrows (27"). With instructon not toover straight draw. I just love it when someone shows up at my shop. And as soon as he pulls one of my self bows straight up and down. I know he's a compounder.

 I have no disrespect to compounders. I use to be one of you for 11 years. But you boys have taken TV HUNTING SHOWS TO HEART


 Quit trying to hunt like these people only hunt only get the good footage. And they'll do anything to get it.

 I know I filmed for 2 well know hunters from 86 To early 90's.

[bubby]

I generally only use the tree till around 20" or so, thin I start short drawing it shooting an arrow till i feel it's good st the draw kength I want. Its my opinion that pushing that arrow helps the bow break in a whole lot better yhan exercising it on a tiller tree

[bow101]

I generally only use the tree till around 20" or so, thin I start short drawing it shooting an arrow till i feel it's good st the draw kength I want. Its my opinion that pushing that arrow helps the bow break in a whole lot better yhan exercising it on a tiller tree

Agreed ,  I normally go to about 22-24".

[John Scifres]

I don't call a bow shot in until it has a few hundred arrows through it.  Even then, it will change over time.  I used to be more deliberate about breaking a bow in by leaving it strung, overdrawing it, shooting it in at short draws but I don't know that it made much difference.  Now I just shoot the crap out of it and continually check tiller before I finish it.

You lost quite a bit of deflex during glue-up right? That points to some kind of design or construction issue.  I'd think that through some.  What was the width? How thick was your boo?  What kind and quality of boo and yew?  How did you glue it up?  How much R/D was in it?

Well made boo backed bows take a lot of abuse.  I'd be surprised that simply overdrawing it by a couple inches would make that much change.

[DC]

I believe the Perry reflex pulled the a bit of the deflex out. As I tillered it I lost a little bit more deflex. I read that that's normal in a Perry reflex bow. I can get my fingers under the handle now when it's on a flat surface. It'a 1 1/8" wide at the fades. Boo id 1/8" thick at the middle and 1/16" at the tips. Don't know about the boo. Bought a 4" log at the garden center. West systems epoxy. Don't know what you mean by how much R/D?

[John Scifres]

Perhaps I am confused

I assumed you glued it up in reflexed tips/deflexed handle - R/D - style.

Maybe I should back up.  How did you glue it up?  On a form?

[DC]

The deflex was put in when I spliced the billets. I recurved the tips with dry heat. Then I bent the limbs into about 3" of reflex, applied the bamboo backing and held it like that until the glue dried.(Perry reflex)
I just took a look at it and it's reflex has pretty much gone so it's just a deflexed recurve now

[bradsmith2010]

and what moisture content was the bow when you glued it up,,??

[DC]

That's a good question. The billets were offcuts that have been kicking around for at least a year but they weren't out of my warm box. It's been 50% RH in my shop all winter so I would guess the MC would be in the 10% range.

[John Scifres]

That's not a method I have tried but it seems like it should be OK.  Assuming good glue-up and all.  Who knows why things happen sometimes.  It's like Pooh says, "You never can tell with bows."  Or is it bees?  I have those too and they are even more unpredictable

Have you seen Dean Torges' video "Hunting a Bamboo Backed Bow"?  It is a great resource for this type of bow.

At any rate, your bow is still shooting pretty fast, 160 is nothin' to sneeze at.  Have fun with it.

[DC]

Yeah, it shoots nice and now has nice shiny hoof tips. I off and working on an R/D Ocean spray. I'll try to keep some reflex in it. The nice thing about deflex is it doesn't pull out.