Cutting string nocks, any tricks?

[Shaneisneato]

Started to cut my string nocks last night and not satisfied how they are coming out. Any tips or tricks?

[Pat B]

I usually mark 3/4" down from the limb end on the back and 1" down on the belly for my temporary string nocks. This usually gives you a 45degree angle slot on the sides of the limb. Once the tillering is complete I clean up the tips, add overlays and do the final shaping of the tips.

[bubby]

Check out Gordon's haselnut build in the archives for a consise detailed method with pics , 
The nocks are several pages in

[Del the cat]

I'd say there is a lot of wasted tip width... there's not really any need for gooves on the sides/edges of the bow. The groove can all be on the back of the bow in the overlay.
In the thread about pyramid bows some one said you can't actually taper a limb to a point... nope by you can get surprisingly close.
If you want English longbow style nocks there is a 'how to' on my blog.
Del

[Shaneisneato]

PatB - Ugh, that so simple. Much better than what I was doing to get the 45 degree angle. That's what I get for working on it while tired. 

bubby - I'll see if I can find it.

Del the cat - That's a good point.

I think I'm going to taper the ends in more, removing the poor job I did last night. Then just do shallow grooves on the side and deeper on the top in the overlay. Trying to decide between some white oak, cedar and maybe some antler for the tip overlay.

[Pat B]

Everything beyond the string nocks as dead weight so I try to reduce that area as much as possible in the final shaping to eliminate excess physical weight. I do like enough sticking out past the string nocks so I can use a cup type stringer if needed.

[wizardgoat]

I like to glue on my overlays pretty early. I don't spend time carving them, but got sick of my string popping off a low brace, or the occasional string splinter.
I only carve into the overlay until the bow is fully braced, then make a pencil line where the string actually sits on the sides. Its not always 45 degrees dead on. Then I carve out a shoulder for the string to sit on and anything past the shoulder is deadweight.

[Del the cat]

I do temporary overlays early with extra width for string aliggment. I then rasp 'em off and do the final horn nocks or opverlays when the bow is well on the way to full draw, say 22"
Del

[PEARL DRUMS]

If you use overlays you can just cut them in across the top, plenty deep, and leave the side alone. Check out a few of mine if your inclined to.

[Springbuck]

  I wish I knew why you didn't like them.  I'm terrible at this and like to freehand a lot, but it would help if you started with a slightly oversized square tip, and drew on what you wanted them to look like from the front and sides.  Also, when drawing, use a guide, like the bottom of a can if you want some curve or whatever.

[Shaneisneato]

I didn't like the ones I started as they were not perfectly even and I also accidentally started one on the wrong side of my mark so I have a little divot cut right below where the actual groove is.  :embarassed:

Shouldn't of worked on it while tired. But narrowing the tips and using an overlay should allow me to remove all those mistakes.

[bushboy]

I would suggest using riff or quarter. Sawed lumber for overlays.

[Wooden Spring]

I always use pin nocks. Never had a problem with any of them no matter the weight of the bow. To me they're easier than filing in nocks with a chainsaw file... Easier for me to get precise.

[Wooden Spring]

Pics continued....

Once you get to picture #7, just sand everything smooth and you're good to go.

[George Tsoukalas]

I measure down a 1/2", draw a line, 3/4", draw a line and then make a diagonal. I start the groove with a hacksaw and then use a file. These are temporary self-nocks. I leave them wide so I can make adjustments in tracking the string.

If I reach full draw, I'll shape and clean up the nock.

Pretty much done it for a few years this way:

http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/osage.html

Jawge