Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: John Malone on December 03, 2017, 05:08:00 PM
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Hey guys, still working on my pyramid bow. Tiller looks good so far, its pulling 30# at 22 inches. Best I understand that should end up 48# at my 28 inch draw. I have not pulled it past 22 inches or 35# so far. My question is if I finish tweaking the tiller cut the shelf and do my final sanding shoot it in and so forth it should drop on down to 40-45# or so I think. I have no problem with it ending up at 48# but that might be asking a lot from an unbacked red oak bow or so I've read. Am I on the right track here. This is a 72 inch ttt red oak bow 8 inch riser 1.5 at the fades to 9/16nat the tips.
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It will be about 42# at 28 inches. It will gain about 2# per inch of draw.
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Finish out and see what happens.
How straight the grain is a big factor in the bow's survival.
Jawge
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Just go ahead and build it and don't worry about the final draw weight. Take some lessons from each bow and move on to the next.
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A wooden bow should be pulled to your intended draw weight as soon as the tiller is good enough. Then continue pulling full draw weight and removing wood until you get to a couple of inches short of your drawlength, sand it, shoot it checking tiller isn't changing, do any fine tuning and your bow will be the weight you want it. Obviously if you spot a problem before getting to full draw weight you must stop and fix it first. Doing it this way is important for quite a few reasons! Too many in fact to list here.
Right now you will be guessing at draw weight, what if a flaw raises its head and you have to fix it? You might be down to 35#.
Unfortunately not all bows gain the same weight per inch and at best doing it this way is an informed (or not!)guess.
Find a copy of vol 1 of the Traditional Bowyers Bible and read the chapter on tillering. It will save you a lot of under weight bows and headaches!