Hickory Board Bow #7

[chasonhayes]

With what I learned with all your help I have started another. This time I used the following roughed out dimensions
Length 68"
handle length 4" offset down by 3/4"
Fades 1 3/4" continuing for 15" then tapering to 3/8"
Thickness:
Handle 1 1/4"
fade 3/4" and for an additional 2"
5/8" at 4 inches from end of fade
9/16" at mid limb
1/2" at tip
At this point it was bending enough to put on my stringer and tillering tree. I pulled it to 25lbs 40 times then marked areas and started scraping. I did this for about 6 rounds and here is where I am at. I think it is too stiff out of the fades but I'm being cautious. her to avoid causing a big set like bow #6.
Any and all input is appreciated.

[BowEd]

Right limb looks ok.Match the left limb to it.Left limb has a stiff spot mid limb.
Get it bending evenly and put into a low brace and see what you got.
You want a nice even taper thickness wise along whole working limb.No abrubt tapering over a short area in your working limbs.
Think stream lined look.Your inner limb width is good.
Last 6" to tip can be thicker again but narrower.

[mmattockx]

I think it is too stiff out of the fades but I'm being cautious. her to avoid causing a big set like bow #6.

It does look stiff at the fades, but it is early days. Get it bending smoothly from a couple inches away from the fades to the tip and then ease into the fades slowly from there. A little bit of movement at the fades equals a lot at the tip, so go gentle there. I would say it is better to be stiff out of the fades than building in a hinge, so approach that area carefully and do less scraping than you think you want.


Mark

[bentstick54]

It could be an optical illusion, but your handle looks a lot more than 4”. If so you are giving up some working limb length, if not please disregard. Can you show a photo of the back of the bow?

[Badger]

 I doubt if it is an optical illusion, that handle is much wider than 4"

[TimBo]

The fence post is probably 3.5".  So, depending on whether you have shaped the front of the bow fades there, you could get more working limb by making a 4" grip/2-3" ish fades. 

[bjrogg]

It could be an optical illusion, but your handle looks a lot more than 4”. If so you are giving up some working limb length, if not please disregard. Can you show a photo of the back of the bow?

That’s my first thought.

Between handle fades and stiff area out of fades there’s a lot of none bending area there.

That’s better than a hinge out of the fade though.

I would shorten up the handle

I like the bend you do have so far though and that’s how I like to tiller a bow. I like to get outers moving and the work my way in. I have to keep revisiting them as I get more of the limb bending and they start to stiffen back up again, but that’s just me. One of the best I know starts right out of the fades.

Bjrogg

[chasonhayes]

I doubt if it is an optical illusion, that handle is much wider than 4"

You are correct. I made a silly mistake. After marking out the handle and the fades I forgot to cut them.
Here is the new pic with the handle and fades cut out and a few more tillering sessions. I'm still only pulling it to 25lbs until the consensus is that the limbs are bending well.

[George Tsoukalas]

There's no need to shape the handle until you've reached full draw. Jawge

[chasonhayes]

So my plan was to carefully adjust the bending until it was even then brace it and test it at 50lbs to see how much draw there was. Then I was going to carefully reduce the weight until I hit 50lbs at 28"

I used the tillering gizmo to mark high places and I used a card scraper for 30 times over each high spot then pulled it 50 times and repeated until I felt the bending was good. Each time I never pulled it heavier than 25lbs to avoid getting set. I then braced it and carefully tested the weight and came up 37lbs at 28". I do not know what I did wrong. Somehow in trying to even out the bending I reduced the weight too much before I even checked it.
Here are the pics: under tension, braced and and back view. Please offer suggestions.

[bentstick54]

You should have been pulling it past 25# , closer to but not past your desired finished weight. You just kept tillering it to the 25# weight every time you took more wood off.

[Happy Grandpa]

Hang in there. If you are still at 68" you may be able to get into the mid 40's by shortening it and by adding some reflex or slight recurve.

[Don W]

Have you heat treated the belly? If not I would try that. Then see  what the weight is. It may need retillering after that as well.

[chasonhayes]

You should have been pulling it past 25# , closer to but not past your desired finished weight. You just kept tillering it to the 25# weight every time you took more wood off.

Any tips to getting it bending smoothly without taking too much off so I can safely test the weight? In board bow# 4 I tested it at 50lbs and bent the lower limb out of the fade for a permanent set.

[Morgan]

You should have been pulling it past 25# , closer to but not past your desired finished weight. You just kept tillering it to the 25# weight every time you took more wood off.

Any tips to getting it bending smoothly without taking too much off so I can safely test the weight? In board bow# 4 I tested it at 50lbs and bent the lower limb out of the fade for a permanent set.

Too much time on the long string will make you come in under weight too because the bend changes on the short string and you have to address that.. You should not experience set unless you are bending too much in one area. If you put a board blank that is 3/4” thick on your tree and pull with a belly tight long string to 50# there is no way you should get set because it would not be bending enough. What little bend that is there will be in the center. You work the outer limbs so all the bend is not in the center or fades as it were if you already reduced material for fades. Set happens when you have too much bend radius in one area with too much thickness to accommodate the bend.