Bend in the Handle

[Don]

After reading Kegan's thread, I'd like to try a bend in the handle bow.
Looks like a lot of fun and something else to learn.
But, how do you do the tiller on that type of bow?
Do you reduce each limb from center out or what?
My last 2 were 3/4" thick at the fades [or there abouts]. So would this type
start out at about this thickness through the handle area?
I've got a couple of other questions but I'll bother everyone with thous later.

Don

[George Tsoukalas]

Check out the board bow buildalong on my site. Jawge
http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/

[Kegan]

You tiller it just like any other bow- you remove wood from the stiff spots. Just make it bend like a nice, even elipse.

If you're making it about 1 3/8" or so wide, tapering it from 3/4" thick at the handle, straight to 3/8" thick tips. Width taper makes sure it bends in a nice half circle or ellipse.

They're as simple as you care to make them .

[Don]

Thanks Guys.

Kegan. I like the looks of the one you made and want to give it a try.
I'm still pretty new at this so just wanted a little reassurance.
I do have another question.
Could I round the belly like a D style bow or would that be taking to much wood off?
I guess I've got a new project for the week end.
Thanks again. Don

[DanaM]

Don on a D Bow I leave the handle thick and get the limbs bending then slowly work on the handle to
bring it into tiller. Becareful you don't get the handle to thin to early or it will bend too much in the handle.

[Don]

OK Thanks

[George Tsoukalas]

Yes and be careful about how much the handle bends in relation to the rest of the limbs. If it bends too much you'll get some mighty handshock. Jawge

[uwe]

A slightly bending in the handöle bow is a nice shooter, I think. I have a good feeling for the correct draw with it.

[Kegan]

So long as the handle is at least twice as thick as the tips, and tapers striaght, I've had no problem with handshock (and the last one, Red Oak Sticks, can be flet moving through the handle- but have no hand shock). Making one form the board is about as easy as can be.

Make it as tall as you are, or a little shorter (here mine was 66").

As wide as you can comfortably hold, or can get. Somewhere between 1 1/8" and 1 1/2" out to midlimb. From there it tapers to light, narrow tips for speed. The ones on Red Oak Stick 1 were about 5/16".

Leave it 3/4" thick at the handle, tpaering striaght to 3/8" thick tips. The belly and the back are flat, simply carved out (which, if you drew them out straight with a yard stick, will bring it pretty darn close to finished tiller, even if you work it down with hand tools). Round the edges, more so at the belly on the handle.

Then tiller it like normal, watching for weak/stiff spots, and you're done. After a few, you'll see what's an acceptable amount of bend in the handle, or if you need to make it bend there less for your tastes and so on.

[Don]

  Well back to the drawing board.
Got it all cut out, looked good on the long string.
Put on the short string with about 4" brace.
My pounds were already close, a couple of time on the tree and POW!!!!.
Both mid limbs, 3 peaces. May not of had it bending in the middle enough yet.
What do you do? Go get another board.
I'm not whipped yet.
Don

[Kegan]

Don- biggest trick Ive learned, let it break in the way Paul Comstock did with his backwards bows. Once you get it to low brace, and it's tillered right, let it sit for an hour. Check the tiller frequently, so it doesn't overly compact any weak spots (shouldn't have any). After an hour, raise it to final brace (5.5"-6.25" or so) and let it sit for a few more hours, or overnight (make sure the tiller is proper). After it's sat, it can be finished tillered really quickly, and should be shooting really quickly (the Red Oak Stick was left to sit fro about two hours and then quickly came back to full draw within ten minutes).

[Don]

Yep that's what I should have done. I think I try taking it to final tiller a little to soon.
I did leave my last 2 set for a few hours and they were fine.
One of the limbs my have had some bad grain but not terrible.
It was looking really good to.
Anyway I'll give it another try in a couple of days.

Don

[DanaM]

If your using a board back it with linen or silk, my guess is you had grain run off and thats why it blew.
How about some pictures of the broken bow?

[Don]

DanaM. I beleave your probably right.
Here is a couple of pictures of one limb.
belly

back

the other end looks about the same.
Don

[orcbow]

That one broke becuase the grain went through the limb at an angle. The pictures make it very clear. Cloth backing would help, but in my experience, wood that has that kind of less than perfect grain orientation will make only a lighter weight bow than you would otherwise expect it to. Like Kegan said above, letting it sit braced helps the weaker spots in the wood show it's true character. Besides that, red oak has for its special characteristic, ease of spliting, which when it comes to certain uses, is not really an asset.