Author Topic: Tillering with the long string on recurves  (Read 5962 times)

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Offline H Rhodes

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Tillering with the long string on recurves
« on: March 05, 2015, 08:22:11 pm »
  I have an osage bow under construction that i have real high hopes will be a fine recurve.  I steam bent some awesome hooks into it and it is one of those flawless staves that you just know wants to be a bow.   I am a little afraid of the initial stringing.  Last time out with such a reflexed stave, I had a little bit of hell in trying to brace it that first time and broke it, trying to go to far too fast.  Thinking back on that project, I realize that I didn't spend much time with a long string at all.  After all my rambling on this subject, I would love to hear the thoughts of some of you recurve bow experts on reaching first brace with an extremely recurved stave.  I plan on doing more long string tillering with this one, or at least that is what i am thinking now.   I barely use a long string with D shaped straight stave long bows, going from floor tiller to very low brace, but maybe the recurves require more of it?  Thank y'all for putting up with me thinking out loud on this subject and I am open to any advice.       
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2015, 08:24:44 pm »
Have it low braced and tillered before you bend hooks in. Once the hooks are in you pop a string right back on. Tweak the tiller and reduce the weight. I push/pull them all to brace.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2015, 08:32:24 pm »
Too late on this one.  It was at a real stiff floor tiller when I bent them.  I will try that on the next one PD, thanks.
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline PatM

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2015, 08:35:55 pm »
   I just go right to low brace with recurves.

Offline half eye

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2015, 08:41:01 pm »
Howard,
      I watched a deal where fells was stringing up the asiatic bows and one guy would bend the bow over his knee by pulling back on the limbs just below the hooks....and a second guy strung it. I know thats not what your doing but maybe if you bent the bow over your knee you could get it to a place where you knew that you could low brace it......but hell what do I know?
rich

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2015, 08:42:03 pm »
Me too Pat, but I got burnt last time and i guess i am a little gun shy.  I will put my big boy pants on and brace this sucker in the next couple of days.  I just read PatB's post on the "floor tiller" post a while ago.  I think I am going to try it his way on this one.  I will post some pics later.  Thanks.   
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2015, 08:44:31 pm »
Howard,
      I watched a deal where fells was stringing up the asiatic bows and one guy would bend the bow over his knee by pulling back on the limbs just below the hooks....and a second guy strung it. I know thats not what your doing but maybe if you bent the bow over your knee you could get it to a place where you knew that you could low brace it......but hell what do I know?
rich
You know a heckuva lot!  This one is something a little different for me Rich.  It has a big ole thick handle with a rest cut in...  Still some help in the bracing department might be in order.  I may have to bring some more hands to it on it's big day.
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline PatM

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2015, 08:52:03 pm »
You can just place the tips on the floor floor and press the handle down  to get an idea of how it's bending.
 A peg board jig is another good option if you don't want to wrestle with it too much.
 I'll be at this stage soon with this beast.


 
« Last Edit: March 05, 2015, 08:55:40 pm by PatM »

Offline DC

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2015, 08:57:32 pm »
Have it low braced and tillered before you bend hooks in. Once the hooks are in you pop a string right back on. Tweak the tiller and reduce the weight. I push/pull them all to brace.

I tried push/pull on a recurve and couldn't pull it off. I was kind of pushing at the base of the recurve and couldn't push and get the string in the nock at the same time. Any idea what am I doing wrong?

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2015, 08:57:42 pm »
I have a peg board behind my tiller tree and i agree that it is helpful.  That first bracing on a recurve can surely be a wrestling match.  Maybe having a helper there like Rich was talking about might be the ticket.  Mine looks similar to that one Pat.
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline PatM

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2015, 09:07:12 pm »
What sort of draw weight are you looking at?

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2015, 09:56:38 pm »
55lbs or so. 
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline bubbles

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #12 on: March 05, 2015, 10:10:14 pm »
I can't push pull a recurve to brace either. The few recurves I have made I put an extra stringer nock on the top.  A stringer makes that first brace really easy actually.  If you have extra space above your top nock, try it out, you can always cut it off later if you hate it.
« Last Edit: March 05, 2015, 10:15:04 pm by bubbles »

Offline bubby

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #13 on: March 05, 2015, 10:14:06 pm »
If it was a stiff floor tiller before then you need to remove some wood and get a good floor tiller, i get at least to brace more like 18-20", get two saw horses and pad the tops and the spread them out to about the hooks then you can push down on the handle and check floor tiller like that
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Tillering with the long string on recurves
« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2015, 10:25:04 pm »
Thanks guys.  Y'all are giving me some good ideas.  Bubby I will try the saw horse idea.  I got a buddy of mine lined up to be there when I get it ready to brace.  I am going to remove some belly wood tomorrow and get this tillering underway.  Bubbles that sounds like something to try as well. 
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi