Tillering Fades

[Don Case]

I'm trying to get my head around this. For example, if the limbs on a bow are about 1/2" thick and the fades are 2" long, should the limbs be 1/2" at the 2" (end of the fades) mark or should the transition take a little longer? 2" just sounds a little abrupt to me. I'm thinking this is what SteveB was trying to tell me.
Thanks
Don

[Eric Krewson]

Your limbs should stop bending where the fades stop and transition into the limbs, I suspect 1/2" of limb limb thickness will be about right. I usually get a little movement up into the fades but not much.

[Wooden Spring]

Take a look at the drawings in my post below... Don't take it as gospel, but it's worked great for me.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,43727.0.html

[steve b.]

Like Eric says, Don, you want a little movement going into the fade.  All I was saying, on your bow, was I couldn't see where handle and fade met because the picture was dark.  The more of the limb you have bending the less stress overall.  If it seems abrupt then it might be.  To be honest I have never measured a fade, on any bow.  I just play it by ear (or eye).  But, you know, you want a nice slope up to the handle.  If you want that fade bending and it is not then you have to make it more abrupt--thinner.

[Pappy]

Maybe I am not understanding this right,but I never want my bow to bend into the fad where it has started the tapper,the longitudinal grain is violated there and will lift a splinter. I want it bending up to the fad but not in it.
 Pappy

[SLIMBOB]

+1 Pappy.  Mine don't bend into the fade.  Few exceptions but generally no.  As a result my limb will be noticeably thicker at the junction of the two.  I just begin scraping until I get the bend like I want it from there.  It will still end up with the junction being the thickest part of the limb, only by a small amount, but it gives a gradual transition rather than an abrupt one.