Taking some advice--my second self bow start!

[Pappy]

If the limbs= it don't mater.I usually decide when I get a string on it at short brace.Look and see if it is right down the center if so either will work,if it is a little off to one side and you don't want to straighten it the the off side should be where you will nock your arrow and depending on weather you are R or L handed decide on the top limb.I hope for the weaker limb to be top just so I don't wast a lot of weight trying to catch the other up.Of course at that length and your draw length you can always cut it down a little to pick up some weight.
   Pappy

[Chuck Jones]

I have been measuring from the back of the bow to make my markings out to 26"'s which is my drawlength.  Is that the way it is done or is it measured from the belly?

I have done some more work on the right limb from the mid section out to about 4"'s from the tip.  When I look at the bow the right limb doesnt look right to me.  However, when I put my 48" level across the back the measurements are the same.  To obtain the measurments I made marks on the limbs measuring from the center line.  Marks are about 4"'s apart and the measurements are the same out to the end of the level.  Pic's follow...thanks..chuck

[attachment deleted by admin]

[venisonburger]

Looking better, I'd keep working the midlimb areas.
VB

[Pappy]

Looking good,mid limb of the right limb still looks a little stiff.You should be about ready for a low brace.It may look a little different when you do that.
   Pappy

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks good. Now make sure the limb starts to bend at the end of the fades. Jawge

[makete]

Its starting to look like a bow to me . Looking good. Keep us posted.

[Chuck Jones]

Sorry for not responding sooner.  I am really disappointed now because I broke the bow on both tips.  I was seeing that the bow had 1 1/2 of set and thinking that it would only increase before I finished.  I had read that one way to reduce that set was to put some reflex (if I have the right term) into the bow.  I did so and either I didnt apply enough heat of the set was to much.  Both limbs broke more than half way thru.  The burlap probably helped it from breaking all the way. 

I have glued it back together now but I dont think it has any chance of survival.  I had thought about wraping it with rawhide what do you all think?...chuck

[Pappy]

I have had that happen before,can you cut them off or is it to far down on the limb?
Rapping probably won't help.
   Pappy

[a finnish native]

sorry to hear about that.   The best thing I would do is to find a stave of some wood suitable for bows and start a new one. If you will start to repair this it will take ages and will slow down your learning process. Don't except for the perfect bow from your first attempts, it's just good to make a shooter at first. My first bow has a terrible tiller and over 3" of set. It still kills a rabbit fine and penetrates a metal plate. only 40# in that one. the more you do this the more you learn. The best way of learning is by mistakes, with this style you won't repeat them.
Never get too attached to a selfbow, they won't last over 5 years if they are in hard daily use. Sinew backed ones and hornbows are a different thing then.

[Chuck Jones]

Pappy I guess this one needs to go to the fire pit.  The breaks are at about 15".  Another try coming up. 

[Pappy]

Sorry,sounds like the pit to me.Remember when you try and bend one backwards you have to be
real careful you are going against everything it wants to do.It has to be plyable with either heat or steam,Or do it while it is still green.Better luck on the next one.I broke several when I started and still do on occasion.I know it may not seem that way but you learn and file it away in your head on every one that goes bad and over time you learn what you can get away with and what you can't
and also how to deal with problems as they arise.
   Pappy

[Chuck Jones]

A Finnish Native that bow was made out of red oak that I purchased from Home Depot.  I have a couple more pieces to work on.  I have started another one.  It is about ready to put on the tillering tree.  I will try another.  New to the world of self bows what is it that fails on them after several years of use?  I remember as a kid my wood bows lasted forever it seemed anyway.   
 

[George Tsoukalas]

I am sorry. You know it's our fault. Chuck, my first bow had 5 in of set but it shot. let's get you a bow made. May be a dozen bows under your belt then we can worry about set.  This is one of my pet peeves. You had such a great tiller going too. It's not your fault, it's our fault for putting such an emphasis on set. We as a community should no better. Beginners, get some bows made then worry about set. ):Jawge

[a finnish native]

I mean that the bows stay in one piece, but they become lazy. and take a lot of set after enough use. now talking about selfbows.

[DanaM]

I'm hunting with an linen backed ash board bow it has a good 3" of set, it pulls 48# at 26". My self imposed range limit is 10 to 15 yards.
This bow has plenty of omph to kill a deer and the set makes for a soft shooting bow. I've made better bows with less set since this one
but have given them all away Don't worry to much if your first bows take some set, by all means try to minimize it but getting a shooter
is more important.