Virgin Hickory

[Sidewinder]

This is my first bow to completion. As you all know I broke my cherry bow last week but I think this one may turn out OK. 62" n2n 50# @27" Hickory/Pecan board bow (not for sure which species of wood). I haven't finished the handle yet but I wanted to have everyone give the tiller a hard look and see if anyone thinks any adjustments are in order.I'm not sure if I have the pictures loaded right so I may have to add them if they don't show up.  By the way it has about 2" of set after unbracing and I am going to have to heat in a reflex and to get rid of it. I want some feedback so when I bring it back down to 50# I can make sure I get the tiller right. Thanks for your help in advance.Danny

http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/

[Pappy]

Just do what you have done it looks good to me.Nice job.
   Pappy

[TRACY]

It also looks good to me.

[DanaM]

Its a nice bow, man ya got dem limbs bending.
Well done

[Woodland Roamer]

That's a really great job on you're first bow Danny! As far as removing 2" of set with heat, you can try it but I would bet that the set will return after bending it again in a bow that has already taken set before heating. Maybe the full 2 inches will not return but from my experience I think a good part of it will, but it's worth a try.

Alan

[OldBow]

Looks like a future riparian whitetail hunter to me. Got you bookmarked for Dec Self Bow of the Month, too.  Thanks for the post.

[Pat B]

You did very well with this bow. Two inches of set ain't too bad, especially for your first sucessful bow. I'd leave it alone and start on your next one. Try not to stress your limbs as you build the next one and see if you don't get less set.
  Pecan is one of the hickories. They are all of the Carya specie. I believe that pecan is the least strong of the hickories but make good bows. With hickory, moisture content is critical  to performance. You want your M/C to be about 6%. At that M/C most other bow woods would blow but Hickory loves to be dry.     Pat

[Sidewinder]

Thanks for the input Pat and fellas. I think that I will take your advise and start another one as soon as I get the handle and finish done.After sitting over night she only has about 1 1/2" of set left so that shouldn't be too bad. Pat what did you say about not stressing the limbs? Is that what causes set? I did leave it on the tiller tree tied off for a few minutes while I was examining my next move when I had her at about 18" draw. Could that have created it. I would like to avoid that next time and want to make sure I don't duplicate that mistake. I suppose it will shoot a little softer because of the set though  just not quite as fast as if it was reflexed ,huh? Danny

Old bow let me get the handle and finish done and I will repost. Danny

[DanaM]

I think the most important thing to avoid set is make sure the stave is dry, make sure the limbs are bending equally at every stage and don't pull it past the intended draw wieght and length. Don't leave it on the tree any longer than necessary, but I don't think a few minutes at 18" hurt anything unless the wieght was to high.
Don't get overly concerned with the set a few inches don't hurt anything and makes for a sweet shooter. Oh yea have fun

[Pat B]

Danny, I believe a lot of set comes early in the tillering process, especially for most beginners. I am bad for overstressing a bow while I build them because I get rushed. Patience is one of your best tools in wood bow making!!!  Try not to pull it past the ultimate draw weight at any time while you built your bow. Also, exercise it between wood removal, even if it is only a few inches. I usually exercise it by pulling 20 to 30 times.  While you are building a bow(or anytime with a wood bow) you should not hold it long. What I do is stand back and pull it a little on the tiller tree and look at each limb, relax it and mark the stiff spot(and possible hinges) and pull it again and look for another, etc.    Pat

[medicinewheel]

danny!  -  why bother 2" of set?! that's a really nice arc in that bow! - just spend some time on working handle and dips, maybe some tip-overlays and of corse a carefull finish...
very well done!!!
frank

[tpoof]

wild the way you tillered the limbs and left the fades  alone.

[George Tsoukalas]

Side, that's a nice bow. Congratulations on your first. I like it. Jawge

[Bishop]

Danny, great bow, congrats....good job!

Bish

[Sidewinder]

Thanks fellas.

Pat. I think we have struck on the crux of the issue.When tillering it I would hold it at the draw weight at whatever draw length it was on and tie it off and stand back and study it, so I left tension on the limbs longer than I should. I exercised the limbs well though. 20-30 times as I have read you should so thats wasn't it. I am sure it was tying it off and standing back and gazing at it and visualizing the tiller shape and then mark the spots. I went real slow  and never rushed it. My gosh it took me about 2wks of about 54 nights a week for 3hrs or so and two sundays. Alot of it was contemplation of exercising what I have been learning in my 5 mths of study before I even had the confidence that I had grasped the basic dynamics. Fumbling with the tools was another thing that took a little time to see what and how they wood remove the wood. I also was hung up for while that I didn't have a vise or a good bench area to work on so that psychologically slowed me down as well, until I got a bar clamp and clamped the stave onto the dinner table. Then I really started to rock right on through it because I could move around the piece and get better angles and stability with the spoke shave, curved scrapping knife I got from Orien and the big file my brother picked up at an estate sale a week ago.  What was funny about the way it came together at the end was I had it on the long string (200lb trot line string) at what I thought was about 15" and when I got the 16 strand B50 string with Flemish twist and my first bowyer knot at the other end made up ( my first) I braced it low 3-4"(Kens suggestion) the first time and it pulled to 23". I was like woooaahw. That was too quick. I mean it slipped up on me quick that I was almost there and didn't know it because I must have miscalculated the distance on the long string. I think I was fortunate that I wasn't taking off too much wood on the last few passes with the big file on the limbs. I just kind of got in tune with the wood and could kind of just feel how much was right. I tried not to be excessive but not passive either and then all of a sudden it was there. Of course my eye is critical of a few areas, however I am gonna try not get obsessive about perfect tiller and just try to take my time and enjoy the ride and trust that it will turn out the way its supposed to. Does anyone else feel this way or am I just a cornball? Danny