Tillering on the SMG Bamboo Bow

Hi
That is a little weird, hopefully there are no problems with it. Have you drawn it to full draw? If you're going to, I'd try to 'heel' the bow a lot so that the bow's drawing pressure is on the lowest part of the grip. - that's what I'l ltry to do with my hornbow that has a significantly weaker limb.. it'd put more of the pressure on the lower limb afaik

Usually, in general (not Korean archery?..) the stiffer limb is the bottom limb, and the top limb has the be a bit weaker. So I think it's better that the weak limb is the top limb in this case..

I think it could be the way you brace it. Especially since it's bamboo, it might have a bit more plasticity or elastic memory (like a hornbow) at the beginning, so you could try to bend the lower limb alone more, on the knee, as if you were trying to balance a hornbow. And when you string it, try to apply equal pressure to both limbs.

I don't think the tiller is too far off at all. Notice any cracks on the bamboo?

Hi Pedro

I've shot the bow every day from morning till evening 5-10min sesions when ever I felt like it. The bow performs normal so far.

Photo http://imgur.com/a/AVkRA

Bow appears to bend normaly. Shoots straight where I wanted it to go.

I did thought it could be the problem when I do the step through stringing method. Now i've moved over to sitting down and stringing like the horn bow method. Putting even pressure on both limbs when applying pressure with thigh down on the handle grip. The upper limbs still appear to be bigger than lower once stringed.

You could be right on that one, I've being applying some pressure to the lower limbs. Nothing as yet.

Hi Pedro

Its a 60lb bow and I'm still getting use to the draw weight and my draw length is not there yet. Like you said 1-2inch extra is where my actual draw length will be.

The Korean draw I dont mind doing but i prefer the turkish anchoring point on the upper cheek bone for gap shooting and accuracy. I'm using a sugakji thumb ring at the moment and still getting use to it. I may go back to using the female thumb ring in future.

For the SMG Bamboo Bow I'm flinging Easton XX75 gamegetter 400 spine, 3" fletching, 125grain field points.

I see, I'll work on the lower limb for a month and see how it goes from there. It might be the case you mentioned about Master Kim.

Hi Pedro

Yes the arrow touching cheek bone is where i anchore

I use a form of khatra. Its in my grip that the bow slightly swings out just enough upon releasing the arrow.

I shoot with a slight canting. The bow in photo was held verticle for seeing how the bow bends.

Hello

Update; the bow still functions and shoots nicely.

Apart from that the only problem i find is cracks developing on the birch bark. So far theres 9 cracks top limb and 8 cracks bottom limb. I've posted this in old Topic: Birch bark cracking hoping some one would reply.

Kind Regards

Hi CTR

I was given advice on olive oil. Also read shoe wax from this forum.

I might give beeswax citrus oil a go since the cracking is still occuring after application of shoe wax and olive oil.

It would probably work.  I know that my old horn bowyer friend used contact cement thinned with benzene (from what I remember), but a natural glue should be fine.