Interesting new project

[DC]

I was stumbling around the shop trying to decide what to do next. I took a bow that I'd pretty much given up on and put it in the corner of shame. While there I noticed a couple of Yew limbs from two broken bows. I've looked at them before and couldn't decide what to do with them. Then I noticed two pieces of Boo backing that I had stripped off yet another failure. A light went on. A quick look revealed that I would have to leave a little sapwood under the Boo but I've done that before. Also one limb is deflexed a bit and the other is reflexed a bit(one reason they'd sat there for so long) but the bow backing will help sort that out. Just the kind of project I like, use a bunch of junk to make something(hopefully) good.

[willie]

Also one limb is deflexed a bit and the other is reflexed a bit(one reason they'd sat there for so long) but the bow backing will help sort that out. Just the kind of project I like

sounds challenging. How were you thinking  the backing would sort it out.? Pull the deflex one into reflex before you glued the backing?

[DC]

Yup. As it turns out one is straight and the other is reflexed so I'll make an R/D and both will be reflexed. I'll glue the reflex in. The limbs will probably be an inch or less wide.

[bradsmith2010]

lookin good,,

[willie]

the other is reflexed so I'll make an R/D and both will be reflexed. I'll glue the reflex in

if one will be prestressed and the other not, but both will look the same, how will you account for that when tillering? be prepared to monitor for set on each limb independently and posssibly have a bow that will look as uneven as the limbs look now?

you could heat bend one limb to match the other and glue up both with the same pre stress....

but I dunno what would actually  be better.

[DC]

I may steam the reflexed one straight. I'm thinking on that. It's not a lot of reflex so I'm not sure if it matters. I'll probably get them mixed up anyway

[Hawkdancer]

Mark one limb -A, the other limb B and hope to hell you don't forget what you are doing to which limb?! . Sounds like a fun project!  Stay safe!  Have fun!
Hawkdancer

[Corvus]

I may steam the reflexed one straight. I'm thinking on that. It's not a lot of reflex so I'm not sure if it matters. I'll probably get them mixed up anyway

How I would do it. Just like you would with a stave, but add in the extra difficulties if the limbs are off different trees. Takes a lot of patience at tiller no matter what you do if that is the case

[bownarra]

Easy enough...just watch the set. Set and its location tell you everything you need to know
Live dangerously

[DC]

Now that I've evened out the thickness and made the limbs a similar size it's just like starting with billets.

[DC]

All glued up 64"TTT, 4 1/2" reflex. There is a chalk line on the board behind the left(bottom) and that's why it looks so fat. It has a tad more reflex so it's tentatively the bottom limb. Now if I can tiller it. These things give me fits

[bownarra]

I vice tiller these sort of bows to brace and use a stringer on temp nocks once I'm sure it is bending good and just brace them early. Once braced to 4" or so  they settle a bit.
Good luck -- it could be a screamer

[DC]

Could you kinda describe your vice tillering method? If I put it in the vice and grab a tip in each hand I'm standing to close to see if it's bending evenly. Right now it's going to 40# with about 1-2" of tip movement so it's kind of hard to pull with my arms stretched out too.

[mmattockx]

Could you kinda describe your vice tillering method? If I put it in the vice and grab a tip in each hand I'm standing to close to see if it's bending evenly. Right now it's going to 40# with about 1-2" of tip movement so it's kind of hard to pull with my arms stretched out too.

I suspect he is talking about something like what Gordon does in his Vine Maple build thread, post #66:  http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,53195.0.html


Mark

[DC]

Gordon has a swivelling vice, that would let me out.