From: SteelyDan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
I am working on my first recurve self bow. It is from an oak board. I lifted a splinter on one tip when I steamed the curves in and so added some over lays to strengthen the tips.
I am at the point of short string tillering but am having trouble with the bottom tip wanting to twist.
The bottom tip wants to twist right (counter clockwise) when looking at the belly. Hence the string wants to slip left out of the groove.
I am having a brain freeze..... which side of the tip should I remove wood from to bring the string back into alignment?
Help! SD
|
|
|
From: SteelyDan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
Top tip style
|
|
From: SteelyDan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
Oak board, dual shelf add on handle, 65" ntn.
|
|
From: Flinger1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
That looks nice steely! Do you think you could correct the twist by filing the string groove? There’s some really good bowyers here and I’m sure they’ll be along shortly.
|
|
From: fdp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
Remember the bow is pulling to the strong side. The outside of the twist is the weak side.
|
|
From: SteelyDan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
....and so I should shave wood from the left side?
|
|
From: George Tsoukalas
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
The bow twists towards the weak side so remove wood from the other side in small amounts and test with short draws. Jawge
|
|
From: Arvin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
That’s it Jawge
|
|
From: SteelyDan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
Thanks everyone. That is all good advice. I'll slowly scrape wood from the strong side and see how it goes.
I should have kept the limbs wider and not narrowed them as soon as I did. I could not use heat to twist because of the glued on over lays.
Making a recurve is a lot more involved than a longbow.
SD
|
|
From: Eric Krewson
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
I don't scrape wood to correct alignment, I get out my heat gun. I heat the tips, set my padded vise where I just can get the tip in between the pads, I put the tip in the vise and give it a quick tweak in the direction I want it to go. I let the tip cool, string the bow and see if I corrected the problem, if not I repeat until I have perfect alignment and no errant string movement when I draw the bow.
|
|
From: Runner
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 05-Dec-21 |
|
You can often just manually twist the limb to correct it.
|
|
From: 2 bears
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 06-Dec-21 |
|
I wouldn't twist on a bow the twist is built in to. That would be twisting it to correct another problem. Maybe as a last resort. It is so easy to confuse left and right from pictures. You remove material from the limb edge away from the side the string is going to. OR You deepen the string notch on the same side the string is drifting to. Look at the picture either one is moving the string toward the center line. Make sure the notches are the same depth and the sides are the same strength before doing any twisting. UNLESS you twisted it stringing it then untwist it. >>>----> Ken
|
|
|
From: Runner
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 06-Dec-21 |
|
Self bows can take a good torqueing. Sometimes the twist is there because of slight inconsistencies of the wood or grain orientation coupled with perhaps being twisted slightly while stringing.
I routinely just manually straighten without heat. Not much different from straightening arrows by hand.
|
|
From: BowAholic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 06-Dec-21 |
|
this might help
|
|
From: Bjrogg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 06-Dec-21 |
|
I have a question. Actually a couple.
Is the limb twisted?
Does it need correction with heat?
Or is it weak on one side and twisting?
I use heat to correct a twist that’s already present.
I normally don’t have problems with limbs twisting as I draw them. If I did I would think George would have explained it simplest.
I generally leave them a bit wide till I see where my string wants to be.
Bjrogg
Bjrogg
|
|
From: 2 bears
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 06-Dec-21 |
|
BowAholic put up the ideal sketch. I couldn't figure out how to get it in computer to post it. It says it all much better than me trying to explain. >>>----> Ken
|
|
From: bentstick54
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 06-Dec-21 |
|
Question, can he still safely use heat since he has what looks like to me underlays ( OP stated overlays), but either way, with minimal risk of it popping off? Or if it does pop off, can he just clean the glue joint up and reglue it on?
|
|
From: SteelyDan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 06-Dec-21 |
|
Working on it this morning and appears as though I have made it worse.
Pic of bow strung at rest.
|
|
From: SteelyDan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 06-Dec-21 |
|
Now bottom limb drawn to 13", after wood removal.
I am buffalo'd.
SD
|
|
From: SteelyDan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 06-Dec-21 |
|
According to Bowaholics sketch I should remove wood from the right side, mid limb and deepen the left side nock. Correct?
|
|
From: HRhodes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 06-Dec-21 |
|
I would get the top limb bending more. It looked a good bit stiffer than your bottom limb. Once the limbs are bending equally, the correction of that twist will be easier. Red oak is stubborn to dry heat in my experience. If it were mine, I would steam the limb and then straighten out that twist. The limb looks crooked. Straighten it out and the twisted tip/string alignment issues will be a thing of the past.
|
|
From: PEARL DRUMS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 07-Dec-21 |
|
I would figure out where the misalignment is occurring. It may show at the tips when drawn and actually be occurring much farther up the limb. Draw it on your tree and lock it down at 16-18". Study that limb and find out where the root cause is.
|
|
From: Jeff Durnell
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 07-Dec-21 |
|
Yep, what Pearl Drums said.
When I see misalignment in a wooden recurve's curves/tips upon first stringing, I immediately check two things right off the bat....
One, that the longitudinal centerline is accurate and the string is over the center of the handle when unbraced.
And two, that the limb is the same thickness from side to side at all points up and down both limbs. Folks have a natural tendency to tilt/lean tools as they work... which, if we're not mindful of it, can make one side thicker than the other, and it causes limb twist, especially noticeable in recurves. Check that very carefully with a dial or digital caliper... even just a plain outside caliper will work.
Only after those things check out, do I consider removing wood as discussed above or using heat to affect the outer limb alignment.
|
|
From: SteelyDan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 07-Dec-21 |
|
PD and Jeff; wish you had chimed in earlier. I clumsily charged ahead yesterday and the stick is now in the "Corner of Shame".
I will be more mindful on my next recurve build about limb thickness, limb twist and string alignment.
Thanks to all who commented and gave advice.
SD
|
|
From: PEARL DRUMS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 07-Dec-21 |
|
Just a glue a .187" thick hickory or maple back on it and start over.
|
|
From: Jeff Durnell
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 07-Dec-21 |
|
Colin, sorry about that. But hey, maybe you can still learn from that bow. Check the things noted above and see if they had anything to do with it. If so, you'll know to avoid it on future bows.
|
|
If you have already registered, please sign in now
For new registrations Click Here
|
|
|