how thin can i go??

[sadiejane]

ok, so i rawhide backed that osage orange bow last week. got it on the long string now.
working on tillering. it's 54" ntn. and is starting to get fairly thin,
but isnt bending  as much as i'd like(tiller looks good tho).
how thin can i shave 'er before i get into a danger zone?
thanks!

[Del the cat]

Get a short string on it ASAP, it will bend much more as the short string gives more leverage (for horrid reasons of geometry, but just trust us on this)
What seems a high draw weight on the longstring can be dissapointingly low when a proper string is put on it at the right brace height.
Once the tips are pulling back 4 or 5 inches, get it braced low with a short string.
Del

[Pappy]

What Del said,that being said as thin as it needs for the weight you want,How wide are the limbs ?
For a bow that short the limbs will be pretty thin especially if the limbs are wide. Mine usually come in 3/8 or less on a bow 60 in. n-n 50 or so @26.
   Pappy

[gstoneberg]

Yes, and when you're taking off wood the draw weight can change quite rapidly so go slow and exercise the limbs a lot after each wood removal.  But, the shorter the bow, the less wood thickness it will take for a given draw weight.  I think my 52" bow is pretty close to a quarter inch thick.  If I remember, I'll measure it tonight.

George

[sadiejane]

thanks guys. heading to the studio shortly. will get a shorter string on it. and go from there.
its rather wide, but under 2" for sure. maybe 1.5" at widest.
(will have to measure-cant cant say accurately without measuring...)
a bit knotty n snaky.
so its wider in places than other taking the knots into account.
also need to take the riser down a bit, and the tips are a tad thick right now.
ok, shorter string, slow slow slow...

[Pat B]

If your bow is getting too thin begin tillering from the sides.

[JW_Halverson]

You can get as thin as you like, just don't end up looking like one of the Olson twins!  Wha...?  Huh?  Oh, bow!  A bow!  Sorry. 

Pat mentions tillering from the sides and that's not a bad idea.  I had a bow that would not lighten up and would not give in until one extra scrape from the knife blade put a hinge in the limb and lrft me with a crappy looking 20# draw weight tomato stake!  Can you post a pic or two or some dimensions?


Best of luck!

[sadiejane]

here's some pix and some info.
got  the shorter string on as ya'll suggested, been exercising limbs between each round of wood removal...


sorry the graph lines dont show up that well.
in these pix the limbs are about  7/16s thick
they started 1/2" yesterday-so i've not removed that much since putting on the short string
1 1/2" wide at widest, mostly 1 1/4" wide. 3/4" wide at nocks,
starting about 3 3/4" from nocks


i took pix from both sides as it does have a bit o twist.
still pulling over 50lbs.(shooting for 40 @ 26 for the person this bow is being gifted to)
there's rawhide on the back,
so i was a tad nervous about trying to remove any wood from the sides.
gonna work on it again today...slowly remove a bit more wood.
may try to scrape a bit from the sides.
realized i never took pix of the back or belly...
would that help?
thanks fellas!

[Pappy]

Looks like you need to stay off about 3/4 inches from the fad on the last picture and get the right fad moving.Maybe a little off mid limb and out on the left.careful,you could develop a hinge on that left limb. Need to get wood working on either side of that spot. Not looking bad. I am looking at the last picture so we don't get confused.    
   Pappy

[sadiejane]

ok been working what is the left limb on the pic down a bit.
it bends much more like the right than in previous pix
tho it "looks" thicker it really isnt. just camera angle i guess and there is a tad bit o twist in the limbs.
tho the string lies dead center of riser.
the left limb also had one largish knot thats the widest spot in the bow.
think i'll put a few arrows thru her today and go from there.
been sanding a bit on that left limb trying to get a bit more even bend.
but it's seems just about right...from my less-than-experienced eye.
not sure i wanna remove any more wood. she's pulling 45# @ 26" right now
really had wanted the left limb with big knot as top limb
but it may just have decided for itself to be the lower...
was shooting for 40# at 26" but i think this is the bow this piece of wood wants to be.
what ya'll think
sorry its not a great representative pic.
tomorrow nite i'll get someone to take a pic at full draw.
thanks!

[Parnell]

Hmm, looks pretty good.  Sounds like your at your target weight but maybe a little more wood working out of the handle - right side?

[gstoneberg]

That looks real nice.  I believe I'd shoot it awhile now.  Good job.

George

[Del the cat]

Yup, fine job.
Enjoy it and shoot some arrows, then start the next one, and when you've finished that, maybe come back and cast a critical eye over this one.
It takes a while to get your eye into tillering bows, you can't beat practice, also use you fingers along the limbs as well as your eyes.
Sometimes knowing when to quit is the hardest thing, the other is listening to that voice in your head which is telling you it just isn't quite right.
When in doubt leave it until tomorrow!

That first arrow from your own bow...priceless.
Del

[hillbilly61]

And I know ya have a few good arras to use

[johnston]

sadiejane are you done with it? Enjoyed this thread , thank you.

Lane