Monday 12 March 2012

Looking Good... Whew!

I'm still not quite sure which bow it will become as it's probably going to come in midway between the two.
Normally I'd tiller to a specific weight, but with this bow I'm very much working to the wood teasing my way around the knots and adjusting the tiller much later than I normally would as I need to keep the tips stiff, but without over stressing the centre section.
It's now back to about 62# at 27".
I'd taken it back to 60# at about 26" previously and the outer 1/3 of each limb looked a bit stiff, this shot is after I'd taken a bit off the belly of the last third of the right limb (except the last 4" where the not and patch is). I spent a fair bit of time checking the taper was even and fussing over the back of the bow.
Whew, I've just eased off the right limb a whisker and taken it back to about 28 1/2" !
it looked like about 64# but I didn't want to hang about studying it.
Update:-
Due to superb planning, or maybe it was luck, I was able to use the string of one of my other bows and try some test shots. Most satisfactory, the grip will need a little shaping or a leather grip (built up with hard leather on the back) as the back of the bow is rather square. With my medium weight arrows (100gn on 5/16 shafts), it shot fast and true but with a hint of hand shock (possibly due to the grip being uncomfortable) I then tried my heaviest arrows 100gn piles on 11/32 shafts. Lovely and smooth, I shot about 20 through it and didn't feel in the slightest worried.
A carefull inspection of the bow showed no signs of any trouble (lifting grain, chrysals or pinches on the filled knots etc).
The tips can be reduced a fair bit to put on the horn nocks and I could maybe take 1/2" off each tip just to squeeze the draw weight back up to 65#.
Over all I'm very pleased, it's taken a hint of set, which is fine. I'll finish it off over the week and give it a good shooting in and a work out at the weekend.

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