Being fairly new to selfbow making, I am sure I have or am doing things that can be done in a better way to stop my bows from following the string so much.  Most all of the ones that I have made, which are of the D bow design, have at least 2" of string follow.  I thought I was taking my time, working the wood good, but still get more string follow than I would like to have.  Just had one that had a little propellar twist and about 2 1/2 inches of set.  We heated it, and I re tillered it, and after shooting it in for a while, it came back with 2" of set after we had put about 2" of reflex in it.  

How about some suggestions, how to's on how you work your wood to get the leat amout of string follow.  Any suggestions would be very very helpful to us all

Go very slowly when tillering, never pulling the bow beyond it's intended draw weight or never farther than when you can see it's not bending correctly.  That's about it.

Make sure your stave is dry.  Make sure the bow is laid out correctly for the type of wood you're using - ie a deep-cored narrow red oak bow is going to take a bunch of set.

2" of set from a straight stave isn't bad.  If you're going from boards that's pretty dang good.

More details on design and wood are needed.  Set is difficult to correct afterwards.  The damage is usually done.  Good design, good wood, careful tillering will all help to minimize compression damage but it is inevitable in an efficient bow.  I always assume about 2" of set from my starting profile.  

You can make a bow way overbuilt but then you lose the efficiency you gain.  The trick is balance.

Try a reflex deflex bend at glue up if you are doing a boo backed bow and they have 0 string follow. I think your at the mersey of the wood and what it wants to be on self bows. Find a stave that has lots of reflex in it at the beginning and work it. I find that 2" of felex will be a flat bow once shot in.

Elkslayer,
The R/D design may have 0 string follow but they will still take a set.  I know, I am finishing up my latest R/D boo backed project.  
On a self bow, as he mentioned above, there isn't a option for a glue up.
Some folks heat treat before tillering to keep set to a minimum.

When you talk about a "D" bow are you referring to a bow that has a "D" shape when braced or a bow with a "D" cross section limb? What wood(s) are you using? There are many woods that will make excellent bows if the proper design for that particular wood is used. Actually, 2" of string follow is quite normal.      Pat

I have learned that hard way that what folks told me from the beginning is true

1. never pull past where you can see a correction needs to be made - this is a little tricky since it took me quite a while to learn to "see" these.

2. Never pull past final draw weight. That is, if you are aiming for a 50# bow, never pull 60#.

3. Never pull past final draw length. This also means do not let anyone else draw your selfbow unless you are sure they will not pull it farther than you do.

4. Do all heat bending and twist corrections early. At floor tiller or at least before short string brace height. Some minor heat bending corrections can be done in non bending areas later to align the string or flip or recurve the tips.

Only very well dried wood, tillered by an experienced hand and with an appropriate design for the type of wood can ever produce a minimal set selfbow.

Only way I know to get experience is to do it. It does help to do it at a bow building gathering with other bowyers to help each other learn. Or do it as a build along with lots of pictures and asking lots of questions as you go.

Pat.  It or they have all been a D shaped bow of the Dean Torges design.  1 1/2 inch longer top limb than bottom.  I think I am just rushing it way to much after reading some of Bernie's technique.  And I have always  put the reflex in the bows after tillering and pretty much done to try and take the set out.  I am going to start another one here shorty and see if I can finish it about mid year next year.  Got to go slower I am sure.

I reflex all my staves before I start tillering and end up with low set bows.

2 inches of set is not bad. Jawge

Don't get overly hung up by a natural phenomena. Wood will not recover 100% like glass will. An R/D BBO will show very minimal set, although depending on a variety of factors-like operator error-some of them can get pulled pretty straight too.
Like Jawge said 2 inches is not bad.

I doubt if you can ever stop set in a selfbow, wood compresses when you are drawing the bow. If you start out with reflex and the bow ends up sraight when shot in it has still taken set. I don't think 2" is too bad at all, and as has been already been said good limb design for the timber your are using will help reduce set...Glenn...

I doubt set can ever be made to be zero, but..

 Are your bows long enough for your draw?

 Are your limbs wide enough?  Even on a "D" bow, going to 1-1/4" instead of 1" wide would make a big difference.

 Just the general stuff.

Set happens!    Jawge

To start out with your staves half to be seasoned.Or you will get string follow from this.
 Stress in your limbs is why you have string follow.Poor tillering slong with wood type or poor wood.If you did a D cross section like you said.I've never saw one that did'nt have string follow.When you reflexed your limbs after you built your bow the stress was already there.After you did your reflexing you just put more stress on your limbs.
 Seasoned wood,never pull your bow past intented weight.And tiller super slow.
  If my mind and hearts not in it.I don't even walk out to my shop.Don't feel you have to hurry up to get it tillered to see it.It's not going anywhere.For some reason most people think when they start they have get it done right now.Fine you own pace. You'll get a lot more enjoyment out of building that bow.And it will be a lot better bow.

why is it so important not to pull the bow past the intended draw weight?