Something I've been pondering.....
So we know you shouldn't draw past the target draw weight while tillering.
OK, assume target draw weight is 70#. So I get the limbs back to brace height on the long string with it being close to the 70#.
Then when you get it braced with the short string and keep tillering from there you're starting back at zero draw weight at brace even though it was pulling close to the 70# on the long string.
I'm guessing that the long string is putting a lot less stress on the limbs than the 70# at brace position would indicate??
Im pretty sure once you start any pull on that braced short string it would be quite near 70# immediately upon moving the string, after whatever amount the string stretches slightly. Same stress on the bow bending to the same point but no stress on the scale because the string tension its resisting the limbs wanting to return to resting position.
Pondering with you. I guess itd be as easy as getting a long string on a bow with a known weight pulling its tips to braced position and marking weight on the scale and then bracing with a regular string and barely pulling the scale to see if the numbers look similar
A long long string can give you a false reading the farther in the tillering you go. Once I get to brace height with a long string I shorten it until it barely goes over the tips and very little slack. Then once I get past brace and the tiller is good I brace the bow. That's where you will get your actual draw weight and see how the string tracks.
I'm with Pat. When I start tillering I start with the string as tight as possible without bending the bow. With a long string the angle between limb tip and string quickly approaches 90 degrees and the bow is stacking so the bow feels heavier than it actually is.It is only when you get the string to brace height that you really can measure real weight. Easy to get the bow too light if you use a long string for too long. That is how I think about it anyway.
one of the things i learnt late in bowmaking was, that the drawweight does not change a lot from long string (as short as it could be) to the braced bow. you can check that out on a finished bow....
however the stress on the limbs is a lot higher at brace than on long strong and the bend will shift outwards when you brace it. due to higher strain the braced bow will show your flaws in tiller muuch clearer. one of the best tips I got to safley build a bow is to longstring until you are at 24" and target weight. then brace it. today for a standard bow I do not need a long string anymore.
Quote from: ozy clint on May 14, 2026, 04:19:31 AMSomething I've been pondering.....
So we know you shouldn't draw past the target draw weight while tillering.
OK, assume target draw weight is 70#. So I get the limbs back to brace height on the long string with it being close to the 70#.
Then when you get it braced with the short string and keep tillering from there you're starting back at zero draw weight at brace even though it was pulling close to the 70# on the long string.
I'm guessing that the long string is putting a lot less stress on the limbs than the 70# at brace position would indicate??
I always thought the only reason you use a long string was to exercise the limbs and get them rough tillered so you didn't damage the bow trying to brace it.
Why would you even use a scale until you have the bow braced? That weight, or tension on the limbs at brace is considered pre load, not draw weight.