Author Topic: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?  (Read 8666 times)

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Offline GregB

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #30 on: September 21, 2009, 08:17:10 am »
Don't know how much weight you're after...but some superglue in those cracks should totally take care of it, no need to chase a grain and risk not having enough bow for your desired finished weight. Sinew backing the bow only reinforces no need to chase a grain.  :)
Greg

A rich person can be poor monetarily, the best things in life are free...

Offline Ryano

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #31 on: September 21, 2009, 08:21:43 am »
super glue the ones on the back and cut a 1/2" off each tip. How long has that wood been cut? Seems like it might have been pretty wet....you might think about letting a cure in a warm dry place for a month or so before you go on tillering.
Its November, I'm gone hunt'in.......
Osage is still better.....

Offline kylerprochaska

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #32 on: September 21, 2009, 01:59:41 pm »
the wood was cut 8-10 months ago...some moisture may have gotten to the wood in the boiling process...the polly i used to seal the bow melted a little

-Ky
GBR!

Offline Pat B

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #33 on: September 21, 2009, 02:31:02 pm »
Poly can't stand up to the heat and moisture with steaming or boiling. Shellac can and does a good job sealing under these conditions, plus it is easier to remove if needed.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Christophero

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #34 on: September 21, 2009, 03:56:37 pm »
My recurve form is 60 degrees and folks comment on how sharp those tips are.  With that in mind I will say the first hickory board recurve I started on 2.5 years ago, got exhausted on 2.4 years ago, began working on again this past summer and then hickory backed it last month, blew last week!  As was mentioned before, don't fall in love with it just yet. 
If I can suggest it will much easier to tiller if the tips are cut down to extend only 2 1/2"-3" from the curve.  I originally tried to make mine 4" and the instability just frustrated the fire out of me.  Then I noticed that Marc St Louis' tips are at best 3" and he has some very impressive recurved bows, too.  Plus, if you cut them down the little cracks may just disappear.
Hope it all works out.

Offline billy

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #35 on: September 21, 2009, 06:37:59 pm »
Kyler,

Those cracks are common in osage, especially if you boil it for as long as you did.  Two hours is a bit overkill.  My dad tried making an osage recurve several years ago, and he wanted it to have thick but narrow recurves.  He got the exact same kind of micro cracks in his bow as you did in yours.  It didn't hurt the bow one bit.  But if you want to avoid them in the future, I would only boil osage for 20 or 30 minutes.  2 hours is a bit too long, and once you pull it out of the water, all the moisture evaporates as steam, making the limb super dry until it cools down and re-absorbs ambient moisture.  I think that might be one reason for the cracks.    But yeah, don't worry about those little cracks....that osage is pretty damn tough and it takes a lot more than that to hurt it.   
Marietta, Georgia

Offline n2everythg

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #36 on: September 22, 2009, 10:09:12 am »
this is an interesting post and project.
enjoying the ride.
best of luck. keep at her you aint done yet. I wanna see it shooting :)
later
wade
N2
East Coast of Nowhere

Offline kylerprochaska

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #37 on: September 22, 2009, 11:24:15 pm »
I got alittle work done today on it.... got the limbs bending some and I got my arrow shelf cut out   ;D  I still haven't put it on the tillering tree...I don't know wheather I should before I get sinew on it....but I still have some more to reduce and then the sinew and then hopefully put it on the tree!!  Its actually starting to look like a bow to me (even if the bends are drastic) Here's some pics of the progress

-Ky

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GBR!

Offline Pat B

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #38 on: September 22, 2009, 11:39:25 pm »
I'd put it on the tiller tree before I added sinew. First of all you want to be sure both limbs are bending evenly and together. Also If you get it bending a bit the limbs will react more positively to the shrinking sinew and draw into a bit of reflex. You may loose this reflex in tillering but you will be ahead of where you'd be if you didn't do it.
  I'd say she's sitting at about 125#@28" now  ??? . You have a good bit of wood to come off, especially if you are adding sinew. Don't rush the wood removal but do it thoughtfully.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline kylerprochaska

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #39 on: September 22, 2009, 11:42:37 pm »
Oh I forgot, I have another question....does titebond liquid hide glue work for sinew backing....or is it not gonna work? just wondering

-Ky
GBR!

Offline Pat B

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #40 on: September 22, 2009, 11:46:07 pm »
It will work but it has a shelf life and if it is over that it will take forever to cure.  Another option is Knox unflavored gelatin; used for making jelly. It is a food grade hide glue.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline FlintWalker

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #41 on: September 23, 2009, 12:25:24 am »
I would also suggest that you not put a ton of time into shaping the handle, shelf, etc. until you get it tillered out. That way, if it doesn't work out for ya. You don't have a lot of time and effort invested in it.
 I also like to wait till it's tillered before I cut in the shelf. The tillering will tell you which limb wants to be the top and bottom. ;)
 Keep going. We're all rooting for you. :)
Be thankfull for all you have, because no matter how bad you think it is...it can always be worse.

Offline Pappy

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #42 on: September 23, 2009, 07:12:47 am »
I'm with Shanon on the shelf and handle,I don't do much to that part till I know it will shoot,plenty of time for that later,it make it much easier if it dose go bad.  :)
   Pappy
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Offline shikari

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Re: My first recurve (still in the works) CAN I SAVE IT?
« Reply #43 on: September 23, 2009, 05:55:02 pm »
How thick are the tips on that bugger?I need to recurve some mulberry that PatB sent me and i am wondering if i could get away with bending mulberry that thick.