Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: osage outlaw on April 12, 2009, 05:14:54 am

Title: First osage self bow, need help tillering.
Post by: osage outlaw on April 12, 2009, 05:14:54 am
I am working on my first bow attempt, an osage selfbow.  It is from a tree that I cut down on our farm.  It is 66" nock to nock.  I am aiming for 55lbs.  I started tillering it a couple of days ago.  Any suggestions?

(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/DSCN0395.jpg)

Here it is with a shorter string.

(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/DSCN0398.jpg)
Title: Re: First osage self bow, need help tillering.
Post by: NOMADIC PIRATE on April 12, 2009, 06:25:09 am
I'm the worst to judge tiller from pictures,..but from here that tiller is all over the place, I would be carefull to draw it so much at this stage.


The guys that actually can pinpoint tillers will chime in shortly, you'll get some good advice soon.
Title: Re: First osage self bow, need help tillering.
Post by: african man on April 12, 2009, 06:47:46 am
Hi Scrub Buster
The first step in a major journey ....  ;D
Are the two photos the same , or have you taken some wood off between the shots ?
Photo 1  looks like a hinge starting at block 4 on left , outer half of right limb needs to bend more
Photo 2  left limb looking better , maybe a touch more bend at fade out and watch for too much bend in block 5 , right limb watch for hinge between block 2-3 and block 3-5 needs more bend
thin the tips down a bit , they look a bit chunky

Just take it slowly

This is a tool I find helps a lot with tillering , you slide it along the belly when the bow is pulled and it marks the spots that you need to remove wood , and the spots that are not marked  are left alone
Its a piece of wood with a hole drilled in the middle that fits a pencil and a larger hole counter sunk to hold a nut , that the pencil will screw into , so that the hight can be adjusted

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/bow%20tools/DSCN1131.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/bow%20tools/DSCN1132.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/bow%20tools/DSCN1133.jpg)

Chris  ;)
Title: Re: First osage self bow, need help tillering.
Post by: osage outlaw on April 12, 2009, 07:28:13 am
Thanks,
     I have been using the tillering tool like the one you have.  I did remove a little more wood between photos.  I should have a couple of hours today to work on it and listen to the Masters.
Title: Re: First osage self bow, need help tillering.
Post by: Timo on April 12, 2009, 07:42:47 am
Looks perty swell so far.The blue checkers hurts my eyes though.:) I would just work on getting more bend at the fades first.Not sure what kind of tiller you are looking for?
Title: Re: First osage self bow, need help tillering.
Post by: Dean Marlow on April 12, 2009, 09:13:13 am
You need to get it bending more right past the fades. Looks like the first third of the limbs are to stiff. Take some off there and take a look at it again. Dean
Title: Re: First osage self bow, need help tillering.
Post by: George Tsoukalas on April 12, 2009, 09:58:39 am
It is so nice to see you on a rope and pulley, scrub-buster. Yes, the bend should begin at the fades. It is bending there but not enough. The tiller you have is known as a whip tiller. Too much bending in the outer third of the limbs. That means the bow will stack quite a bit on you towards the end of your draw. Jawge
Title: Re: First osage self bow, need help tillering.
Post by: osage outlaw on April 12, 2009, 08:43:52 pm
It is so nice to see you on a rope and pulley, scrub-buster. Yes, the bend should begin at the fades. It is bending there but not enough. The tiller you have is known as a whip tiller. Too much bending in the outer third of the limbs. That means the bow will stack quite a bit on you towards the end of your draw. Jawge

Thanks, Jawge.  I really like the rope and pulley.  I was using it today and thought it was like a homemade Bowflex machine.  I worked on it a little more today.  I thinned out the tips and worked on the limbs.  I won't get any more time with it until Wed. or Thur.  I think it is looking a little better, but I will concentrate on the areas just after the fades and at the end of the right limb.  Thanks for the advice.  Here is a picture of the latest.

(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/DSCN0401.jpg)
Title: Re: First osage self bow, need help tillering.
Post by: Timo on April 12, 2009, 09:44:49 pm
Scrub,I'd concentrate on the areas from the handle out, about 1 1/2 blocks.No further for now.

What does the unbraced profile show?
Title: Re: First osage self bow, need help tillering.
Post by: osage outlaw on April 12, 2009, 10:56:10 pm
Here is the unbraced bow before I thinned the limbs down.  That is the natural shape of it.  I had to heat treat some twist out of it.

(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/DSCN0379.jpg)