Tiller, what about that spot,,

[bradsmith2010]

  Im just making this up so bare with me,,
this is 1000 years ago, the master bow maker is teaching his son,, ok, the son has the bow tillered out the best he can and shows it to the master bow maker, the master picks it up,, feels the taper looks at the unbraced profile, braces it looks at it,, then picks up an arrow he thinks will work shoots at the target,, hits perfect,, the arrow flying straight as dart,, the young son says yes but what about that spot on the belly that looks a little off,,,,,the master says ,,,, look at "that spot" as he points to perfectly executed shot,,

[Digital Caveman]

That's the difference between an archer/hunter and a bowyer.  The hunter wants to hit the bullseye, the bowyer wants the bow to not break down.

[bradsmith2010]

I want both,, the master knows that at some point the way the bow shoots is more important than the way the bow looks,,

[Digital Caveman]

Of course, but a perfectly tillered bow will keep shooting a lot longer  

I agree though, sometimes done is better than perfect.

[bradsmith2010]

   done can be perfect,, right,,
more emphasis on being able to shoot and knowing when a bow is shooting well,, a bow that is well tillered is going to last longer, thats a given,,, I guess what im hinting at, is just because it looks well tillered does not mean it is well tillered,, there is more to it than that, and part of that is learning to shoot well so you can tell...
   

[Fox]

Love the story brad 

And a great point...

[bradsmith2010]

just something to think about as  you gain experinece in bow making, every bow is different and many different approaches produce a fine bow, but mainly enjoy the process and seeing the arrow fly,,

[Allyn T]

I like your story Brad : )

[bownarra]

More likely the youngster sees the perfect shot and goes 'sweet that's good enough then'....the master goes 'it may be good enough for this shot and a few more but that spot on the belly will eventually break your heart....that the bow shoots well is a good starting point but a bow that shoots well for many years is the goal'
Everybody will have a different view on this sort of stuff

[Dances with squirrels]

Bows of good wood, that are well designed, perfectly tillered (whether they 'look perfect' in the mind's eye or not), and dynamically balanced will shoot like that right out of the gate, predictably, repeatedly, with longevity... but lesser bows can send the first arrow to the mark too. So that one shot shouldn't be a definitive gauge.

To my thinking, a Master of his craft doesn't let something of importance by him as 'good enough'.

[bradsmith2010]

great points,, I have a bow now I have been shooting every day for the last few months, doing a virtual competition,, I made it 25 years ago,, its a good example of durability and accuracy,, I have a feeling it will shoot that way as long as I live,, I have to give credit to Jim Hamm,, he seleceted the wood and guided me through the tiller process,, its a testiment to his skill as bow maker,, and teacher,,, so I feel lucky to have that bow as a bench mark and example of extreme accuracy and durability,,I just feel his presence every time I go out to shoot it,,

[Pat B]

In my mind the master knows when to stop tillering and the student will learn that with each bow he builds as he's learning.
 With the right arrow a simple stick and string sill shoot well. Without the right arrow the best tillered bow won't shoot well. To me the arrow is the most critical part of the combo. 

[bradsmith2010]

great poiint Pat,, how did I skip that,

[Fox]

In my mind the master knows when to stop tillering and the student will learn that with each bow he builds as he's learning.
 With the right arrow a simple stick and string sill shoot well. Without the right arrow the best tillered bow won't shoot well. To me the arrow is the most critical part of the combo.

This is where I have problems! I get my tiller exactly how I want it way before I get to FD which I guess is good, but then the issue is I can’t drop the weight without scraping and then messing up my perfect tiller, and then I hit FD and I don’t worry about the tiller because it WAS perfect.... real problem.... and arrows as well, I have a hard time getting a perfect arrow. Only one that I’ve made has ever shot perfect...

[Dances with squirrels]

C'mon Pat, as bowyers, we have to build bows under the assumption that the arrow will be properly matched to the bow... and that's more of a spine thing anyway. So assuming the right arrow is used for each, which bow will shoot better, the one expertly tillered(to include dynamic limb harmony), or the one whose tiller is not as good? We should build bows with purpose, not porpoise