first bow, how does the tiller look?

[Osip]

I probably shouldn't have sprang for the osage orange for my first bow and just made a red oak board, but I did. I'm feeling like its nearing completion, though maybe the right limb still has a few weak points that need to be worked around. Or is it close enough? What do you think.

thanks, here's the image link:

https://imgur.com/a/w6tlDCb

[Eric Krewson]

Pretty darn good, for a first bow, EXCELLENT!

[Kidder]

You’ve done a fantastic job for your first bow! I agree that the right limb is a little flat in the middle third, slightly more towards the fade, but that is fantastic tillering overall!

[RyanY]

No way to accurately judge the tiller without seeing the unbraced shape and front view profile.

[Osip]

No way to accurately judge the tiller without seeing the unbraced shape and front view profile.

ah ok, I'll take a picture of those tomorrow. That is one thing that's been giving me trouble-- one of the limbs is straighter than the other, so the limbs bend different amounts to reach the same position. I think if I were to make both limbs the same strength, the bow would look wonky when it's braced but not drawn. I know a solution to this is heat treating to make the limbs line up when unbraced, but if I don't want to do that is there another way to make the best out of the situation?

[TimBo]

Is the RH limb the lower limb?  It would be helpful to show a full draw picture with you drawing by hand if you can.  Make sure the nocking point is set right (even if you move it a bit later - something like 3/8" - 1/2" above square is good) and maybe use an arrow.  Also x2 on unbraced and front profile.  Also also, don't leave it on the tillering tree for too long!

[Osip]

Is the RH limb the lower limb?  It would be helpful to show a full draw picture with you drawing by hand if you can.  Make sure the nocking point is set right (even if you move it a bit later - something like 3/8" - 1/2" above square is good) and maybe use an arrow.  Also x2 on unbraced and front profile.  Also also, don't leave it on the tillering tree for too long!

here's where my noobiness definitely shows-- i don't really know which limb should be the lower or upper limb. how do you decide? I just hold it in the middle of the handle. Roger that on more pictures, I'll take them tomorrow. and yea i try to be speedy with my tillering tree! I want to upgrade to a pulley system

[bownarra]

Decide now! It is importnat that you pull the bow the same way from now on.
It's good that you noticed that the limbs have to travel different amounts.
The bows tiller should look wonky IF the limbs weren't perfectly even to start with. Your full draw should reflect unbraced profile. The limbs should move the same amount so that they have the same amount of strain at full draw. If you make it look 'perfect' at full draw then the limb that is moving further is more strained and will start acting weak eventually.

[Deerhunter21]

I would make the top limb the one thats got some reflex in it. you want your bottom limb to be the stiffer one (the one thats bending less) and that tiller looks like their bending evenly at full draw meaning that the limb with more reflex will be bending more to get to full draw.


Btw, thats a pretty dang good tiller for your first bow! your first bow is a success when you can keep it from blowing up!

[Osip]

Ok, here are some more images: https://imgur.com/a/cotgZiS

i marked the draw photos to show which limb is on top. I also learned the hard way to not draw arrows in my backyard because as soon as I did my neighbor came out to yell at me! Fair enough, its the suburbs. So the full draw photos are not great since I had to squeeze inside the shed

[RyanY]

For an efficient bow, that width taper would dictate a much more elliptical bend as there is very little change in width from the fade to the tips, if that is the case then both limbs are bending too much in the inner limbs. The right limb is definitely bending more in the inner limb compared to the left and mildly less bend in the outer two thirds. As far as balancing the bow just shoot it. If it shoots well then it’s balanced. Plenty of asymmetrical bows shoot very well no problem. If it is not shooting well then you may consider getting the limbs more even. It may have hand shock due to the massive outer limbs and too much bend in the inner limb.

[Osip]

For an efficient bow, that width taper would dictate a much more elliptical bend as there is very little change in width from the fade to the tips, if that is the case then both limbs are bending too much in the inner limbs. The right limb is definitely bending more in the inner limb compared to the left and mildly less bend in the outer two thirds. As far as balancing the bow just shoot it. If it shoots well then it’s balanced. Plenty of asymmetrical bows shoot very well no problem. If it is not shooting well then you may consider getting the limbs more even. It may have hand shock due to the massive outer limbs and too much bend in the inner limb.

ok, thanks for the evaluation. the bow is about 35 pounds at 27 inches right now, do you think I should try thinning the outer third of the limbs to reduce the weight but make it bend more toward the outer limb relative to the inner limb?

[RyanY]

I would try and tiller by adjusting the outer limb width as opposed to thickness. You will be able to remove more mass that way.

[Osip]

here's how it looks after removing about a quarter inch from each side of outer third of both limbs. it only dropped the weight about a pound and a half so I might just take off more, if you think that will improve the efficiency: https://imgur.com/a/81EbazC

[RyanY]

Still a lot of bend in the inner limbs but that likely won’t change much unless the bow is made much lighter in draw weight. I would continue to remove width from the outer half if you can spare it. How does it shoot?