High Performance Hunting Bow Build: Tillering & Cutting String Nocks
Now that our recurves are in place we can now move onto balancing the limbs and bracing the bow. Placing the bow sideways in the vice again we can continue our removal of wood in stiff areas. If the limb is already well balanced we can take even ammounts off with the shinto rasp. If you would like to slow down even further for more control you can start using the card scraper. Use this to to take thin wisps of wood off instead. Continue slowly removing material until both limbs bend evenly. The limbs should feel the same in terms of stiffness when bent.
I also use a string jig with leather hoops on the end that fit over the end of the bow tips. The bow is then placed on the tillering tree before the string is drawn pulling the limbs down. This is another method to gauge the bend of the limbs known as long string tillering. I use this in tandem with side tillering in the vice.
Once the bow is bending around 8 inches with a moderate amount of pressure we can then move onto cutting the string nocks. Measure half an inch back from the tip of the bow and make a mark accross the back. Then measure 1 inch from the tip of the bow making a mark accross the belly. Connect these two points giving you a roughly 45 degree angle at which to cut your nock. Using a tile saw cut along these lines on the sides of the bows tip before widening with a chainsaw file. These nocks can then be sanded smooth as to not abrade the string. Once complete the bow is now ready for bracing.
Photos left to right: 1.Leather loops used for long string tillering at the early stages. 2.The bow being bent using a long string 3.Marking stiff areas for wood removal 4.Marking the nocks 5.Cutting the nocks with a tile saw. 6. Widening the nocks with a chainsaw file
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High Performance Hunting Bow Build: Tillering & Cutting String Nocks
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