My board bow (build along?)

[Marin]

Thanks Bubby,
About tillering sticks, I really like yours with the movable peg. I saw a pic of it in your board bow build along and it is more likely for me to do that as I do not have a band-saw and my jigsaw will not make straight enough cuts. I have a split scrap piece of pine 2x4 i was going to use to make a tillering stick  but I noticed your tillering stick doesn't have a mark for each inch but goes up by different intervals. Do I need to make a mark for every inch when making a tillering stick like yours? Or did you do that because you did something special when tillering?

[Marin]

Guys,
Yeah I have been really busy but I did retouch the notches and the string stays in.
About tillering sticks,codes it matter if the bow is above the string? What I mean is I was planning on making a tillering stick with a peg and cut a notch in the top of the stick to support the bow. However, this means it will not be above the string and it could twist. What do you guys think? I cannot cut notches as my only tool that I could use to do that, a jigsaw, is not very accurate. Is their another way to make notches? Could I use a branch as a tillering stick? Or does this whole problem of not,placing the bow over the org area matter?

[bubby]

You can just cut sticks if you want, differant lengths like 10,12,14

[Marin]

Wait, I don't have to do it for every inch (10,11,12,13....) but I can do it for every 2 inches?

[Marin]

Hey
Finally found a way to cut notches on stick. But about measuring them, I know they must be at a 45 degree angles every inch. But where am I measuring them from? Do I measure, say for the first one, from the top of board at the point the bow is resting or do I measure from that point to where the back of the bow would be? And if the second is true, then do I have to adjust the measurmemnt if I am making a flatter bow with a thinner handle?
I just  want to know how you guys measure on a tillering stick the notches.

[Knoll]

I measure from "top of board st the point the bow is resting". Then mentally add handle thickness as tillering each bow.

[Marin]

So, if say I'm tillering a 28" draw length bow, I would tiller it to the 27" nock?
Also, do I need to take into account where the notch ends in the board? By that I mean should I measure out where the notch ends in the board then draw a 45 degree mark and draw a line to the edge of the board?

[Marin]

Or am I understanding it wrong?

[bubby]

Your over thinking it, just measure feom the back of the bow to the notch at say 10" then mark the notches on the stick

[Marin]

Ok. But also, don't I start at six inches with my measurements, so I tiller to brace height, or do you not do that?

[bubby]

Tiller to full draw not brace no matter what your brace is your draw length will be the end result

[Marin]

Hey guys,
Well, I finally got time to work on tillering today.  I finished my tillering stick last week and my tillering gizmo yesterday. I've been busy for the last couple of weeks, plus it's been raining a lot here in the Bay Area.  I really wanted to work on the thing around thanksgiving but had a really bad case of posion oak on face and arms   
I was so scared about tillering this bow (as I have never done it before and am afraid that I will screw up big time) that this morning, I spent an hour reviewing all the references materials I had (TBB Vol. 1 tillering chapter, the bent stick, and several youtube videos) until I felt confident I know what to do with tillering.
But here's my bow being tillered with the long string (I'll attach pics) . I worked almost all afternoon getting the tiller even (it is not even yet) but the gizmo is my wonder tool. Thanks for suggesting it bubby. It really points out all the flat spots and hopefully I'll get better at seeing them without the tool.
I decided to pull the string to 8 on my tiller stick (that makes it a draw length of nine inches) and make the tiller even. Even when it got too dark to work (which was three hours later) I still hadn't gotten it even though I noticed improvement. Does this sound normal for a beginner: to spend several hours evening out a tiller at one particular draw length?
Also, about tillering, so once I get the tiller even, I move onto 9 and then check for any unevenness? Do I have to do anything else special before, besides exercising the limb? Also, I  exercise the limb every time I take off wood right? Just want to know so I know I'm understanding tillering right.

[Marin]

Okay here are some photos
The first shows the first time the bow was on the tiller tree. I then took my tillering gizmo (pic 2) and ran it under it. Some portions of the limb had pencil marks on it (pics 3) and I shaved off the pencil marks with a rasp. I then sanded the tool makes off and made the edges round again on the portions that had been rasped.
Quick question, do I have to sand it after rasping a small portion of it? I ought you do but if you don't have to it would be nice to know
The fourth photo is of the second time I placed the bow on the tiller tree. Not much improvement but it's just it show you guys.

[Marin]

More photos of the bow placed on the tree after several successive shavings with a rasp. I placed it on the tree more times an what is pictured but these pics should show you the progression of the tiller.
As I said before, it is still not even (my tillering gizmo is still marking stiff spots) but it seems to be better than when I began.

[Marin]

Last two photos I took before calling it for the day. These are side profiles of the limbs while the bow was on the tree. It shows what the belly surface looks like.
Anyways, what do you guys think? Am I doing it right so far?