Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: stuckinthemud on September 01, 2023, 10:17:54 am

Title: tiller check please
Post by: stuckinthemud on September 01, 2023, 10:17:54 am
I first built this billet bow 6 years ago, it had issues, including a deflex kink over a knot and overlays on the back and belly that needed binding to stop a weak handle bending too much, and it was pretty whip tillered.   I never shot it but put it on the rack of shame and moved on to the next one.  Anyway, I pulled it down last week, heated out the deflex kink, dealt with a few problem knots properly that I had ignored last time, then I tempered the belly, flipped the tips a little and reflexed the thing an inch.  I would welcome your thoughts on the revised tiller, the centre is not really a working section, and I know it starts bending too far out from the handle.  The weaker limb (left) is the lower limb.

Thanks

Andrew

(https://stuckinthemudsite.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/img_0822.jpg)
Title: Re: tiller check please
Post by: Pat B on September 01, 2023, 11:58:40 am
The right limb is bending fine. The left limb seem to be bending a bit too much at mid limb.
Title: Re: tiller check please
Post by: stuckinthemud on September 01, 2023, 01:25:17 pm
That’s what I see as well.  I am pretty close to my target draw weight.  I could try hitting the left limb with more heat but I suspect that’s not going to tighten it up enough.  If I get the right bending more, will I lose much draw weight, or could I call it positive tiller and leave things as they are?
Title: Re: tiller check please
Post by: Pat B on September 01, 2023, 04:14:58 pm
Andrew, shoot it a bunch and see if it doesn't smooth out a bit.
Title: Re: tiller check please
Post by: stuckinthemud on September 01, 2023, 04:17:39 pm
Sounds like a plan, I like it.
Title: Re: tiller check please
Post by: Del the cat on September 04, 2023, 11:01:24 am
needs a shorter string on it to see... get it low braced
Del
Title: Re: tiller check please
Post by: stuckinthemud on September 06, 2023, 05:01:37 pm
It is true that that’s my tillering string but the bow is at a brace height of 4 inches from belly to string
Title: Re: tiller check please
Post by: Pat B on September 06, 2023, 06:33:16 pm
Can we see it at 4" brace?  :OK
Title: Re: tiller check please
Post by: stuckinthemud on September 09, 2023, 11:49:50 am
(https://stuckinthemudsite.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/image0.jpg)


(https://stuckinthemudsite.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/image1.jpg)

Really annoying that most of the "flip" in the tips has relaxed out of the wood since I last looked at it, we've had a run of hot weather and I wonder if that's the cause?  I thought I'd heated the wood pretty hard, but not hard enough, it seems.

Title: Re: tiller check please
Post by: Pat B on September 09, 2023, 02:40:51 pm
Looks good Andrew. You can always flip the tips again. It does look like the tips thin out a bunch before they thicken up at the very tip. That may be why the bent tips won't hold a bend.
Title: Re: tiller check please
Post by: stuckinthemud on September 09, 2023, 04:31:02 pm
The tips are very narrow at about 12mm or just under 1/2”, so that makes sense