Flatbow Tiller

[Jon_W]

I am almost wrapping up tillering my second bow, this one I went with a flat, bendy handled bow of HHB 69" long with the tips left stiff due to knots and snaky character. These are the only two pictures I have currently, I am drawing it to the full draw that I want it at. I have a bit more wiggle room on the poundage as it seems heavy, but my arms were also very tire after tillering for 7 hours today with only my hands and a phone camera. I am feeling pretty good about it overall, it doesn't seem like it has any huge trouble spots but maybe others see something.

[Pat B]

Looks pretty good but the bottom limb might have a hinge at about mid limb. Although it could be a optical illusion.

[bownarra]

Move the bend away from the handle. The inners are moving too much and I suspect you will get a bit of handshock. Knots/snake can bend no problem! Don't leave areas of a bow stiff unless of course it is a molle or holmguaard etc...Think of a tree in the wind....the non straight bits bend too!

[Eric Krewson]

I agree with Pat, put a tillering gizmo on that bottom limb and you will see the hingy spot.

[Don W]

...

[Jon_W]

Thanks all, I'll put a bit more time into the tiller for sure! Is the general consensus to have the outer 1/3 moving more, particularly on that bottom limb where mid limb might be bending too much?

[Jon_W]

Looks pretty good but the bottom limb might have a hinge at about mid limb. Although it could be a optical illusion.

I had been thinking that maybe it was an illusion but I see that it could use some work and it will look a bit better and shoot better too!

[SLIMBOB]

So looking at the unbraced, it appears to have a bit of a deflex kink right about where the perceived hinge is.  If I am right, and you be the judge of that, the tiller might be closer than it looks.  I am assuming the bottom limb has the kink? If you heat straighten those areas, it will be easier to tiller and in my opinion, more pleasing to the eye, but either way will work.

[Jon_W]

So right near the hinge on the bottom there had been a bit of natural reflex in the stave so I had wondered about that as past the proposed hinge the bow would appear stiffer?

[SLIMBOB]

Well, it already has some degree of bend inward.  To be tillered correctly, it will need to bend equally with the areas adjacent plus, whatever bend it started with.  So yes, the areas before and aft will appear stiffer.

[SLIMBOB]

I am also assuming that that kink is natural, and not a result of having taken set ().

[Jon_W]

I did some more work on the bow, it is about at the poundage that I want and I think I have a better tiller going here. The top limb almost looks a little stiff to me but anyone else have thoughts? I am not planning on doing any more serious tillering to this bow as it does not seem to have any fatal flaws except a ton of set for pulling it at 80# way too much before getting it to a reasonable draw weight.

[Kidder]

Doing great! Is it positive tiller at all? As you mentioned the middle 1/3 of the upper limb seems a little stiff to me - that was my reaction just looking at the picture without reading what you said. I’d probably take a few scrapes there and call it. Nice job!