For discussion: how this bow should be tillered (Updated with full draw pics)

[fishfinder401]

 i would love to see a full side view of it, love the angle of those picture though, great job with that wood, once again i am very impressed
noel

[coaster500]

Well again you turn a "problematic stave" into a wonderful bow....  You have some serious skills

[Del the cat]

Great, the pics the shape just brought the name 'Flopsy wopsy' to me from the childrens storries about a family of rabbits Flopsy Wopsy and Cotton tail.
Any how, maybe it look all flopsy but I bet it spits 'em out.
Del

[mikekeswick]

Superb work on that one Druid and I really mean it. In a perfect world that is exactly what I would have done. Sometimes people don't appreciate the need to keep the unbraced profile mirrored in the braced and full draw profiles.

[dwardo]

You learn so much from a bit of wood like that. Seems you nailed it there nice job.

[Hrothgar]

What a challenge, nice bow!

[druid]

It was my pleasure to work this riddle stave. 
gstoneberg and johnston, this "normal" limb is not normal, it already lost 1" of reflex and still have some. You would heat treat out and then tiller like normal limb? Wouldn't it be 3 times more strained in that one place than on the other? Do you think that this wood is able to keep triple straining of the back fibers after heating?  I did not.

[TurtleCreek]

Druid, I think you could tiller anything.  I am amazed at your work and really enjoy seeing your posts.

[gstoneberg]

Well, I don't know how it would've worked with tree of heaven, but I do it to osage all the time.  My belief is that the wood fibers become elastic when heated and conform readily to their new position.  Once cooled and rehydrated they bend from there as though they'd grown that way. The only problem I've seen is that if the heat was too intense the immediate area may now be somewhat stiffer as it's essentially been heat tempered as well.  I think that's why we see so many bowyers clamp their bows to a full length form so they can essentially heat treat and bend all at once.  I also have had bows blow up after making several attempts to bend a really bad spot.  I think that's from damaging the wood fibers with too many repeated heatings.

Having said all that, what you did is wonderful and more primitive in my opinion.  So, I am not saying you should have done it differently.  It is an awesome bow.

George

[Elktracker]

Druid I think you did a good job with this stave! I agree that if there are allot of rolercoasters in a stave that it isnt going to come out with a perfect circular arc. When I tiller saplings like this I cheat and use outside calipers and make marks every 2 inches or so out each limb from the center so I know I have a even thickness taper the length of the limbs and I know that the whole limb is doing its share of work.

I have seen John strunk tiller bows like this by feel and sight to get a even taper from the fade to the tip and I must say it takes some major skill! I will stick with the outside calipers to get a good limb thickness taper

Again well done! Allot of guys are so used to seeing that perfect circle so when they see a bow like this they think the tiller is off but that IMO is just not the case if your limbs are evenly tapered. Good Job!


Josh

[druid]

Elktracker, thank you.. I also use caliper in the begining but fingers after some time.  Thickness taper is the key for everything. John Strunk is my idol, unfortunatly I have no contact with him. He doesn't have his own website, is it?
Gstoneberg,

the wood fibers become elastic when heated and conform readily to their new position.  Once cooled and rehydrated they bend from there as though they'd grown that way

...can you explain me this further, I am interested?
You are not saying that I should work it differently but I think I should do it little different that now, others opinions opened my eyes. Not much different but there is space for some corrections, maybe little more agressive profile taper, but I see it now, then I havent see.

[Elktracker]

No he doesnt have a website but you can contact him by searching (Spirit longbows in tillamook oregon) it should give you his e mail. Again nice work!