maple character bow!

[osage outlaw]

This is what they are talking about.  You cut through the ring on the knot when you smoothed it out causing a violation.

[BOWMAN53]

the first two pics are the belly, but there are no violations on the back of the limbs. im going to tiller it a tad more and do some test shooting.

dude, take the advice and say nothing but "thank you ill get that fixed".  you dont take your car to the mechanics and tell them theyre wrong when they tell you whats broken.

[huisme]

Yeah, this bow is bending far too much out of the fades. I should know, it's my most common mistake 

At this point I think you'd be better off going for a well tillered light bow than a heavier broken bow. Those violations around knots are dangerous, and I'd almost suggest going down one ring if fixing the tiller didn't make the bow light enough to where I'd personally be comfortable with them.

Your choice obviously. People far more experienced than you and I combined have given you advice, but you can ignore it if you so wish.

My money is on them, though 

[Dean Marlow]

You be careful pulling that bow back. Very uneven tiller. You tied into quite the stave there. Keep making bows. Dean

[dwardo]

You need to find your self a straight "ish" bit of wood! If you were further up North where the real men are I would find you a stave.

[BowSlayer]

haha. im going to fix the tiller. i have some straight billits that i might splice together.

[Josh B]

That looks like a knot where the grain flows right up the limb instead of parting and flowing around it.  That usually happens when a branch starts growing out of the trunk after the tree has been growing for awhile and is exposed to sunlight that it wasn't exposed to earlier on in its life.  If that be the case, the only way to avoid violation would be to shift the layout of the bow to completely eliminate the knot.  Of course that is not an option very often.  For future reference BS, if you peel the bark and see a knot like this, try to avoid it if you can. It is a violation of the back and a threat to the bow.   Considering what your working with for a stave, I'd say your doing a pretty fair job.  I'd say fix the tiller up a bit and keep an eye on that knot.  It may or may not hold.  Time will tell.  Josh

[BowSlayer]

That looks like a knot where the grain flows right up the limb instead of parting and flowing around it.  That usually happens when a branch starts growing out of the trunk after the tree has been growing for awhile and is exposed to sunlight that it wasn't exposed to earlier on in its life.  If that be the case, the only way to avoid violation would be to shift the layout of the bow to completely eliminate the knot.  Of course that is not an option very often.  For future reference BS, if you peel the bark and see a knot like this, try to avoid it if you can. It is a violation of the back and a threat to the bow.   Considering what your working with for a stave, I'd say your doing a pretty fair job.  I'd say fix the tiller up a bit and keep an eye on that knot.  It may or may not hold.  Time will tell.  Josh

Thanks for the input Josh.  I removed the bark after i split it. And after it seasoned so it was hard to tell what was underneath. 

[wood_bandit99]

There is a slight hinge a couple inches from the fade on the left and a decent hinge near the fade on right and a huge hinge on the outer 1/3 of the left limb. Now pics don't show the whole story but I know for a fact that second and last one I said are there for sure.

[PEARL DRUMS]

My two cents? Not sure how many pounds that converts to? Anyway. Youve heard it all for the most part. Your work is very, very rough. By work I mean your tool marks and such. I realize you intend on sanding, sandpaper wont take that out. SLOW down, use the proper tool at the proper time and clean up behind yourself. By that I mean follow heavy rasp work with a lighter rasp and a quick scrape. That way when your bow is done you wont lose 10-15# trying to smooth it off. Also, look at your edges. They are rough as cob, thats how splinters are born. Right tools right time and SLOW down.

[Zion]

Don't need to say anything else, but why not heat treat the area's that are hinges? That way you won't lose a ton of weight trying to get that tiller correct.

[adb]

Don't need to say anything else, but why not heat treat the area's that are hinges? That way you won't lose a ton of weight trying to get that tiller correct.

I can't agree that's the best way to correct a hinge. I think that's not the best application for heat treatment.

[Zion]

Agreed. I think if he tried to correct it conventionally tho, he would come in way underweight?

[adb]

Agreed. I think if he tried to correct it conventionally tho, he would come in way underweight?

Probably. But, as mentioned, better a lighter weight well tillered bow than a poorly tillered heavier bow.

[VicNova]

Good work! That bows got alot of character