Osage Bow Set

[neuse]

How can you prevent set in osage?

Seems like sometimes it heads in that direction before a string is put on.

On the other hand, how negative is set to the bows performance?

[Pat B]

Set is part of wood bow building and happens no matter what wood you use. The degree of set is usually caused by over stressing or unseasoned wood or inexperience and impatience. Set is inevitable but there are ways to lessen set and that usually comes with experience but even that only lessens it. Adding reflex and belly tempering, both of which can be done at the same time will help too.
 For each inch of set you get you lessen performance but a little set will not make a bow a dud. Some think a little set in a long bow makes a more forgiving bow.

[bradsmith2010]

Yep

[George Tsoukalas]

Yes, set happens!
I agree with Pat pretty much.
Except that if you loose reflex, that's still set.
Jawge

[SLIMBOB]

Pat is right, set is inevitable.  The questions are when, where and how much.  When did the set occur?  Early on is a sign that something is not right.  Wet or green wood for example is a set magnet.  Tempering early before the damage is done can really make a difference, so long as the wood is not wet.  Where?  Concentrated in one spot, not good.  Thats a tiller or design issue.  Bending too much in one spot.  Fix that and you can minimize much of the problem.  Fix it early on.  How much?  Too much is a sign there is a problem.   Again this can be caused by wet wood, poor tiller or poor design.  A poor specimen can also be the culprit.  It's just not good bow wood.  Assuming it's dry, too narrow for the draw weight, too short for the draw length.  Cant change that on this one but you can make the adjustments on the next one by realizing what occurred and making some changes on the next.
Make sure it's dry (seasoned is better), make it wider or longer, tiller for perfect shape from the first bend to the last.  Temper early.  These things wont eliminate set, but they will greatly reduce the amount.

[Deerhunter21]

Go here for badgers no set tillering

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,17294.0.html

[neuse]

Good info, thank you.

The bow I am finishing has set, but seems to me to be a good shooter.
I don't recognize any performance loss.

[Eric Krewson]

I have two bows I kept that don't have any set after years of use, just about every other bow I made developed some set over time. Like I have said in the past; there is osage and then there is osage, some is very special stuff and makes set free high performing bows. I don't run across this extra special stuff that often but put it off to the side for special bows when I do.

[goomba]

If it is a stiff handle too much bend near the fades can cause problems.

[SLIMBOB]

True, but not just on a stiff handle bow.  A bendy handle bow which bends too much in the middle is a problem.  The set is magnified tipward when it is nearer the middle of the bow for either type.  Tim Bakers mantra is applicable here.  You want little if any set near the handle.  Design it wide enough and tiller it to bend properly.