Help with tiller!

[WillS]

Hey guys, currently trying to tiller my 62" ash bow.  Not actually sure what type of bow it is, as I started out attempting to make a normal ELB shape, before realising pretty quickly that it wouldn't cope and so I've trapped the back and flattened the belly a huge amount.  I've also done one session of heat treating the belly to minimise string follow.

Can't seem to get my head around this tiller though - where does the wood need to come off?  It seems to be bending more on the right limb, but that could be my inexperience talking!





Any advice would be much appreciated!

[adb]

Your left limb is stiff. The right limb is starting to bend nicely. Leave it alone, and make the left limb bend the same as the right.

[WillS]

Excellent, cheers! Is more removal needed near the fade/handle or midlimb?

[MWirwicki]

I would say remove wood evenly throughout the left limb's length, just passed the handle.  Use a scraper or something that doesn't hog off too much wood.  You're close!  Good Luck!

[Del the cat]

Ok. (just my opinion of course)
Left limb is stiff and is pulling down, tilting the whole bow to the left.
Right limb is flexing mostly in it's inner 1/3.
So, leave the right limb for now.
Ease off the left limb checking the taper is fairly even and there are no nasty dips, do a little at a time until the bow sits more evenly.
Then ease off the outer 2/3-1/2 of the right limb to get that an even curve.
Then work down the left limb to match up to the right again.
As it's only 62" I hope you are going for too long a draw or too high a poundage, lets make this baby a shooter.
Keep posting the pics and we'll help you tease it along.
HANG ON! I've just noticed the picture isn't square on, assuming the bricks are horizontal...
Gotta be meticulous about this stuff,I've rotated the pic a 1 degree.. It also looks like the pic isn't taken from dead square on as the bricks on the lower edge slope relative to the upper edge.
I think my analysis still holds good. Specially as it agrees with everyone else!
Do you see it too?
Del

[WillS]

Ok. (just my opinion of course)
Left limb is stiff and is pulling down, tilting the whole bow to the left.
Right limb is flexing mostly in it's inner 1/3.
So, leave the right limb for now.
Ease off the left limb checking the taper is fairly even and there are no nasty dips, do a little at a time until the bow sits more evenly.
Then ease off the outer 2/3-1/2 of the right limb to get that an even curve.
Then work down the left limb to match up to the right again.
As it's only 62" I hope you are going for too long a draw or too high a poundage, lets make this baby a shooter.
Keep posting the pics and we'll help you tease it along.
HANG ON! I've just noticed the picture isn't square on, assuming the bricks are horizontal...
Gotta be meticulous about this stuff,I've rotated the pic a 1 degree.. It also looks like the pic isn't taken from dead square on as the bricks on the lower edge slope relative to the upper edge.
I think my analysis still holds good. Specially as it agrees with everyone else!
Do you see it too?
Del

Totally forgot to mention the wonky pic! Sorry!

Yeah, you're spot on I think.  In between the annoying rain showers I've been slowly working the left limb down and it's looking a LOT better.   

The draw will be around 28", and I'm aiming for about 45# (it's currently at 40# on a very low brace at about 20" so I have a bit to play with yet)

Another small point - the tips aren't yet tapered fully, they're still pretty wide.  I keep having issues with my ash staves with chrysalling at the tips so I left them wide until I was happy with the first 2/3 of each limb, then I'll narrow them to about 15mm gently. 

[Del the cat]

If you are on low brace 40# at 20" you are very very very neary there!!!!
You've got to tread really careful now and tease it back.
Just evening up the tiller should get you back to your target with out actually doing much deliberate reducing of weight.
Del