Tiller check...

[AJMag]

This will be my second to complete, fourth to start. I started it about 6 months ago and just now getting to finish it, but if I remember right it should be 68" or 70" ttt. Red oak lumber backed with some paper bag for yard clippings. My goal is to have something around 50lb. At the moment it's getting worked up to 60-65lb, so I have room to work, if I'm getting this right.

So which side is looking better? Is that a hinge on the right? I've been slowly working the outside of that limb, but not much has changed yet. Basically could use some direction and advise from you experienced guys before I jack it up. I'm really hoping I could use this as a hunter, if it turns out well. Thanks in advance.

[randman]

Left side looks better to me right now. It's sorta hingy on the right. Need to see a back profile pic to determine what the final tiller bend should look like. If you're shooting for 50lbs, don't pull it more than 50lbs or you'll cause set. Is that a long string? You should have her braced by now by the looks of that bend.

[AJMag]

I haven't braced it yet. It's string that is tight between the nocks with very little play. My set up doesn't allow me to always have a scale on it so I unintentionally allowed it to hit a higher poundage. If I can finish it that way I wouldn't mind having a bow that strong. I'm going to have to get the hang of this, I'm itching to get my hands on an actual stave, definitely don't want to do that one wrong.

[gstoneberg]

Both limbs look similar to me.  Too much bend inboard and not enough midlimb and out.  I've made several bows like that (I like how that looks), but the osage I'm using is quite a bit more forgiving than red oak.  I'd scrape both limbs mid-limb and out and get a short string on it.

Good luck,
George

[Pappy]

What George said,I would for sure get it braced,things look different once they are braced. Folks do it different ways but I like to get mine at least to low brace as soon as I can reasonably do it. 
   Pappy

[Del the cat]

The guys have already nailed it. I'm just jumping on the band waggon for the ride
Del

[AJMag]

Well here's where it's at now. It seems to have changed some, but I decided to just stop where it's at. 60lbs at 26". I think I have an idea about where to start with the next one so that I don't allow the inners to become too thin from the start. Does it usually work better to start from the outside and work inside when tillering?  Just need to finish it out from here and start cutting out another one.

[blackhawk]

In my opinion i would not let that tiller go and call it good. With that tiller it is highly likely it will fret with a red oak board,and break down,and possibly break. How much string follow do you have? Im guessing you have almost 3" of follow without seeing an unbraced shot...if not a lil more. That bow will not last too long if left like that.

When first starting to make bows its waaaaaay more important to learn proper tiller and have it bending right first before trying to hit a certain weight. If you have to go under your intended weight to make it right,then so be it. Id rather shoot and have a properly tillered 40 pound bow than a 60 pound bow out of tiller.

From mid limb on in both limbs still needs scraped. Youll prob only lose 5-10 pounds to fix it right.

[AJMag]

If I understand the string follow principle right, it's about 1.5". I think I'll sleep on it and see how I feel about it tomorrow. I may take some more off, but I'm also still aware that even though I'd really like to make a great and lasting bow, this would be only #2 to finish and the learning has only just begun. I think I'm going to go ahead and start cutting out another one tomorrow and start on my ideas of a better method to the tiller than I did on this one. My first shooter seemed to fall together so easily that I think I had a false sense of know-how, now I'm really learning!

[Weylin]

I agree with everything Blackhawk said. There is a point that you dust off your hands and call your first bow good enough but I just don't think you're quite there yet. Tiller is more important than draw weight. Heck, a well tillered 50# bow may very well shoot an arrow faster than a poorly tillered 60# bow, longevity and safety aside.

[DarkSoul]

That right midlimb REALLY needs some scraping. You'll do yourself and the bow a huge favor to correct the tiller. I can understand you're eager to start the next one, but learn tillering on this bow, so all the next bows will benefit from the processes you go through with this bow.