Reflex Tillering Questions

[Picklegiant]

Hi All,

I am making my first bow, a 52" Ocean Spray sapling bow. I have already cut it to the pith and I am going to put it in a towel and dry it so moisture does not leave too quick too avoid cracking. The stave has a lot of recurve and I heard that tillering with reflex is different, so how should I tiller it? Also the tip has some snake to it so should a steam it straight now, after it dries or during tillering? Also some newbie questions: what does "set" and "brace" mean.

Pic 1: Reflex
Pic 2: Reflex
Pic 3: Curved tip
Pic 4: Are my tip tapers ok?



Thanks
Ethan

[Pat B]

 Being this is your first bow I would take most of the reflex out with heat(which source is appropriate for this wood)and learn proper tillering first. With that much reflex you will overstress the wood by just tillering it to a straight profile. While you are removing the reflex you can also straighten any lateral bends also.
 Bracing is stringing the bow and the distance between the string and belly is the brace height.
Set is when the stressed limb doesn't return back to it's original position. This happened when the wood cells in the belly collapse from overstressing. It is almost impossible to eliminate set because the nature of the wood but you can compensate for it by adding reflex...but you still need to learn proper tiller first or you will surely see first hand what set is.   

[Mad Max]

Being this is your first bow I would take most of the reflex out with heat(which source is appropriate for this wood)and learn proper tillering first. With that much reflex you will overstress the wood by just tillering it to a straight profile. While you are removing the reflex you can also straighten any lateral bends also.
 Bracing is stringing the bow and the distance between the string and belly is the brace height.
Set is when the stressed limb doesn't return back to it's original position. This happened when the wood cells in the belly collapse from overstressing. It is almost impossible to eliminate set because the nature of the wood but you can compensate for it by adding reflex...but you still need to learn proper tiller first or you will surely see first hand what set is.   

x2

[wizardgoat]

If that's green ocean spray seal the ends well. I like seal my whole  handle and fades or it WILL check. Strap it to a 2x4 flat and cross your fingers

[DC]

That is a lot of reflex!. You might try strapping it to a 2x4 to try and flatten it out. OS is really stiff as you know by now so like Pat says you might want to steam it straight. You seem to have access to some very nice OS. You might want to put this one aside until your skills catch up with it and go look for a nice straight piece. Get a few of them, they don't go bad.

Everybody else types faster than me. I've started over twice.

[Picklegiant]

Thanks all,

I am going to put this piece aside as DC said, and look for a more suitable piece.

Thanks

[DC]

I take the bark off when they're green and then shellac the back. I have had really no success trying to keep the bark on. I think they have to be fairly long and tillered perfectly to keep the bending to a minimum. Even the slightest hint of a hinge and the bark comes off there. I have had people say it's not if, it's when the bark comes off. I take the bark off with a dullish draw knife. It comes off pretty easily.