Finish Tillering HHB Character D Bow

[Yooper Bowyer]

I'm in the final stages of tillering a HHB D bow.  I'm looking for something 50-60 lb, but If I get a good tiller at 65-70 lb I will leave it there as a training bow.  It is a very nice piece of wood I cut 3 months ago, and it has the potential to be my finest weapon.

It has a little of every kind of character except holes, but overall it is straight and clean with very tight rings.  It is 68" ntn, 1&5/16" mid limb, 3/4 in set, 20 Oz mass.  It seems dense.  The set and tempering process indicate the MC is fine, and I'm reasonably sure it has had enough time at the right humidity to season well.

I would post photos, but I don't think they would show enough detail.

Currently it is about 50 lb at 20 inches and has a very light temper on the belly.  A gradual rollercoaster and a few bumps are mixing me up with tillering.  I've been gauging thickness taper by feel, and the limbs appear to bend equally, but I can't tell if it's over strained or not.  What are the best tillering methods when direct observation of bend doesn't work? 

I have a few ideas, but I've always had trouble with frets. Although heat tempered HHB is a lot tougher than maple or oak, I don't want to take any chances with this wood.

Thank you,

[Pat B]

If the side profile is undulating you can squint your eyes while exercising on the tiller tree and view the overall outline without seeing the details.

[HH~]

3 month old HHB will take set after getting to a full draw length. I would bput it rafters for another yeR at least. It will make a bow but will not be seasoned piece of wood. Dry maybe but seasoned no. If its a high grade piece of wood it would be best to stick it in rafters for a year. Come back to it then.

HH~

[Yooper Bowyer]

Thanks for the comments.

I know it's not properly seasoned, but I do think heat tempering helps the process.  (I read this from Marc St. Louis somewhere)

I'll give it more time, but my primary concern is avoiding concentrated strain on any one section of the limb.  I understand tillering well is the first step to low set.

[bjrogg]

I agree with Shawn. HHB dries pretty slow. I understand you wanting to get started though and I did when I started to. It is nice now having dry wood. You can get a good bow yet though if you give it a little time in a heat box or even a car in the sun. Here the winter in a heated building is drier than with humidity in the summer. You can weigh it until it quits losing weight. Then it will be dry. If I have it in a hot car I put it back in my shop to re climate for a couple days before bending it.  It does help to get it close to bow dimensions to.

Bjrogg

[Yooper Bowyer]

My basement is very dry, and the tempering was normal, so I have every reason to believe it is dry even if it can still harden with time.

What I really want to know is how to precisely tiller wavy wood.

Thank you,

[bjrogg]

A wavy roller coaster stave is tricky to tiller. It probably just plain comes do to a good eye. Remember that a spot that is deflex already looks like it is bending before it’s bent. It will have to look even more bent when it actually is working. A spot that is reflexed has to bend just to look straight. Depending on how much reflex it may still look straight even though it is bending. Another thing you can do is monitor your set. If a area starts to take a bit of set it’s bending more than the areas that surround it. Stay away from the set area until you get the rest bending.

A nice flat unbraced profile You can use one of Eric’s tillering gizmos to help you out. I have seen some very nicely tillered bows from both veterans and beginners using them.

Bjrogg