The part you dislike the most!

[WillS]

As most others have said, it's generally all enjoyable as heck, but personally I hate the early bend stage.  I usually end up with one limb doing strange things as a result of imperfect tapering (tricky on lumpy yew staves!) and it takes me a long time to get my eye in as I'm so inexperienced.  Once it's down to brace height I'm usually relaxed again!  I tend to take too long at this point which results in set that doesn't need to be there but I'm sure that will improve with time. 

I used to hate roughing out (from a split log) but with a power planer that's now a 5 minute job to get it from a piece of tree to a 2" x 2" blank.

[DarkSoul]

I don't like splicing (that's why I've not spliced a single bow yet), and heat correcting.
Everything else is pure therapy. I can sand for hours on end. I love it when you see those tool marks disappearing underneath your fingers, up to the point where I have blisters on my thumbs from sanding!

[Marc St Louis]

The finish

[Badger]

   Removing tool marks has come up several times here. I use a cross cut metal file followed by a scraper and it seems to make short work of tool marks. I also like to keep a bow in a semi finished state throughout the build once it has been roughed out. It does make finishing go faster. Sanding a finished bow can be measured in minutes rather than hours.

[George Tsoukalas]

What Badger said. Even while beginning tillering I alternate surform with scraper like tool. Once I string it no more surform just the scraper. Jawge

[4dog]

bubby...never said they COULDNT hunt...it just messes up the hunt when they break a nail....lol

[ajooter]

Ditto george and badger!

[kleinpm]

   Removing tool marks has come up several times here. I use a cross cut metal file followed by a scraper and it seems to make short work of tool marks. I also like to keep a bow in a semi finished state throughout the build once it has been roughed out. It does make finishing go faster. Sanding a finished bow can be measured in minutes rather than hours.

I do basically the same thing. Following the rasp with scraper really cuts down on tool marks and sanding.

Patrick

[Jesse]

Its all good but the part I like least is tip overlays. The part I like most is finishing actually

[bow101]

   Removing tool marks has come up several times here. I use a cross cut metal file followed by a scraper and it seems to make short work of tool marks. I also like to keep a bow in a semi finished state throughout the build once it has been roughed out. It does make finishing go faster. Sanding a finished bow can be measured in minutes rather than hours.

This is what I'am using now [course cross cut metal file]       talk about a time saver, and save on sandpaper as well.  The daunting task of sanding is not as futile.

[Poggins]

I like it all from looking for the tree to the finish .
What I hate the most is when I get in the mood and start a few bows and then the mood leaves before I get them done , I have a couple right now that I need to finish , one is to the tillering stage another needs a sinew wrap on one limb ( when the stave was split out it split down the center of a knot and a splinter is trying to lift , has a nice hole in the other limb) and one needs tip underlays and overlays plus a snake skin . I tend to make mistakes if I'm not in the mood to work on them and last weekend I wanted to but have been fighting alergies and I figured I'd play it safe and not takle the bows while feeling miserable .

[Del the cat]

The bit I hate with a passion is when you are looking over the nicely finished belly and you see a silvery line at 45 degrees running across it and you feel sick to your stomach. a chrysal
The other killer is that 'TIC' when you are pulling her on the tiller, it's probably going to be followed by a V load bang, just before you can... BANG too late sucker
Del

[JW_Halverson]

I love the zone I get in chasing a ring.  The time spent with a sharp pencil and dawn's early light, finding the shape of the bow in the grain of the wood, absolutely magical.  Roughing out the bow with a hand axe and hogging with a heavy draw knife while making manly grunts is just plain cool! Then the hours and hours spent with an LED flashlight held at every possible angle to eliminate the finest tool marks is that zen thing all over again. Hand rubbing finishes, as far as I am concerned, is just a labor of love.

What I hate.  And hate is such an understatement because it does not include the terror that grips my guts...is the tillering.

[Hrothgar]

The worst part for me is finding the time to devote 2 or 3 hours at a time, rather than 20-30 minute spurts which often becomes detrimental.

[Marc St Louis]

I do the final bit of tillering with sandpaper.  The finish I am talking about is applying a finish