intro and questions

[jdwilltx]

My name is Jeremy and I am from north central Texas.  I have been hanging out here for a couple of weeks.  I am new to primitive archery and pretty much archery all together.  I am working on my first bow.  It is a red oak board with a redcedar handle.  I am trying to tiller it.  It doesnt look to bad.  Sorry no pictures yet.  So I have some questions.  I dont have a bow scale.  The only one I have seen was about $40.  So I am poor at the moment and didnt get it.  Any alternatives?  Maybe a cheaper way to get one?  Also I called my local archery shop to ask about Dacron B-50.  He got a little cranky and told me he didnt carry that "kind of stuff".  There is another shop but no one is answering the phone.  Where can I get some string?  Is there something else I can use until I find the Dacron?  Thanks.

[DanaM]

Welcome aboard you will like here.
For weight you could try using a 5 gal bucket with water in it, water weighs 8.34 lbs per gal so a 5 gallon
bucket will weigh 42 lbs plus the weight of the bucket, also if you have a bathroom scale you can use a tillering stick
resting on the the scale then as you draw the bow the weight will show on the scale.

B-50 is available from 3 Rivers Archery just do a google search for 3 Rivers

Good luck and keep us posted.

[cowboy]

Jeremy: What part of NCTX? What town? Any bathroom scale will work to check your bow, make a board with increments down the side, put board on scale, string on top of board and push bow down to draw length and read scale. The Dacron you can buy from suppliers that advertise on here and in magazine.

[jdwilltx]

Whitesboro.  About 60 miles north of Dallas.  In the Lake Texoma area.

[cowboy]

Good ole Whitesboro . Just down the road in Madill, I have some good friends. They have osage growing on their acres and don't give a hoot about it. Don't know when, but next time I'm up that way perhaps you could go along. I'm about an hour and a half from you.

[DanaM]

jd ya better take him up on that offer osage for a little sweat what a deal

[GregB]

Just a word of advice on using the tillering stick...try and keep the amount of time the bow is held at draw to a minimum, only enough to see the weight and where to remove wood. Also, never draw the bow past the finished weight you want.

[jdwilltx]

I have made a makeshift tillering tree.  I want to make this 40 lbs so my 50 fishing scale should work right?  I am exercising the limbs between every scraping and not pulling over 40 lbs.  I think I am almost ready for a low brace.  Question: The draw length is measured from the back of the bow right? 

Thanks for the info on 3 rivers.  I ordered their catalog and hopefully can order the string today. 

Cowboy I will take you up on the osage deal.  That really is too good to pass up!

[DanaM]

Yup draw length is measured from the back of the bow. Sounds like yer having fun.

[cowboy]

Sorry Dana, think me and you were typing at the same time on scale . jd, that fish scale aught to work - I haven't used one on a tree yet, just the bathroom scale method. Yep - whenever I get ready to head thataway I'll get in touch with ya, got gloves?  .