Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: NewBowyer on January 07, 2022, 03:41:38 pm
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Seeking opinions on my tillering of this 68” (66” NTN) honeysuckle stave. I chose the concave side as the back to use the natural bend as reflex. It’s at 20” (40#) now and it looks like the left (top) limb is stiffer- am I accurate? Are both limbs’ inner thirds bending too much? To my uneducated eye it looks it’s already bending an awful lot, yet has 8” more to reach 28”.
I’m also wondering about adding a rawhide backing- should that come after final tillering, or at some point before?
Shooting for 50# @28” but I’ll settle for upper 40s; TBH I’ll just be happy if there’s a working bow here. Thanks, all.
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the left limb doesnt look to be bending more overall but it does look like it needs to bend more mid and outer third of the limb. the right limb looks like it also need to bend more outer limb and a little at the fade.
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the red is where you need to remove wood. But you can wait till more people chime in. its better to get more opinions.
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the red is where you need to remove wood. But you can wait till more people chime in. its better to get more opinions.
That's what I was seeing too.
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I agree - watch those unmarked areas!
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I wouldn’t touch that right inner limb as Nasr marked but I would agree with the other areas.
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Would it be better to add the rawhide backing after final tillering, or at some point before?
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Now 43# @ 24", still see a stiff outer third of left limb. Fire harden now, or after final tillering? Planning to back it at the end. Thanks, all.
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I would scrape that outer left limb a little and then heat-treat immediately. If you plan on heat-treating I have had better results doing so before she’s tillered out fully...
...but, then again, there might be differing opinions on the when-to-heat-treat issue...
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I agree with TimmyDeNorCal. Is the left limb slightly longer or is it just my impression? Great work space.
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Left limb is actually 1” shorter; it’s the lower. I’ll work on that until its outer portion bends better, hopefully to around 26” draw, then fire harden it. That’ll have to wait until later because it’s wet here and the Colts play today. If anyone has ever fire hardened or rawhide backed a honeysuckle stave I’d like to hear about it. Thanks, all, for the great input and direction. Fingers crossed…
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Hingy left limb, you need a tillering gizmo.
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I think the end of the fades needs to move a bit more. But feather in wood removal. In other words don't hit short areas with What I do is mark the end of the fades with a nice dark pencil line and using a scraper get the wood starting to move there. Have fun. Jawge
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EK where are you seeing a hinge? I do have a gizmo
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this is what i see
(https://i.imgur.com/5Y6enhx.jpg)
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That is super helpful, thanks much!
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Right at the end of the red mark on the yellow side of it, not a deep hinge but a overly weak spot. Adjust your gizmo pencil down to 1/8" to the limb at that spot and give it a sweep up and down the limb, it will be an eye opener. After you check the left limb use the same setting to sweep the right, the gizmo will mark a good bit of the right limb because it is a bit stiffer.
Set you gizmo at the same draw length you took the picture at.
Here is an old artists trick, to see detail that may have escaped you, squint your eyes and look again, squinty eyes catch detail better for some reason.
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Thanks for that clarity. I’m putting tillering on hold today while I’m attempting to fire harden it; hopefully that won’t change the tiller too much but just in case, I wanted to do it before it was finished. Still planning on a rawhide backing as well; I assume that should precede final tillering too?
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Finally finished it today- still didn’t get perfect tiller but it’s very close and easily my best one yet by far. Ended up 43# @28” and shoots a 1916 pretty hard, which weighs 425 gr. Even after being strung for a bit and shooting some arrows, it goes right back to original shape, no set at all yet. Probably because of the natural reflex, rawhide backing, and fire hardening, I guess?
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More pics of the grip (need to figure out how to keep the pics from turning sideways!)
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Good job enjoy shooting her it won’t be long until you’ll be thinking of the next one.