Fixing stingalignment

[George Tsoukalas]

gmc, the school of hard nocks is a tough taskmaster. I've probably  broken more bows than you've started. Jawge

[denny]

Hi thought I might comment, I totally agree with george and pat and pappy. I was at a show of arts one time and I had a maple stave, I had processed myself and had a pattern cut out, I slowly worked the stave to tillering height and it looked real good at about 26 inches If I recall ,I was just working the limbs and training the grain and boom,I had two bows. Maple is a light wood and in my experience , I would not use it for ancient bows . However it makes great lam bows . I put sassafras in the same category. But both will deliver a light and fast bow. I got several staves drying now for a couple of years. I wanted to mention , the handle is always left till last, so if for no other reason you saved yourself time building if it breaks. It appears the bow was doomed from the start, dry wood and too short.So much for my two cents. Denny

[George Tsoukalas]

You can use it. Just make it longer and wider is you suspect it might be somehow inadequate. Jawge

[TBod]

Jawge!

Ok I understand but. That means not following the grain IMO. It's ok with the handle section cause that's not bending. The tips however are working. I did what you mean to some extent in this cause not with the handle but with the overall line. I went a bit over grain path otherwise the string would have been off even more.

Follow the grain or alignment can't do both on character bow.

Still confused in other words..

Denny
This one broke at 27" almost finished and no warning.

[Pat B]

You are violating the grain just by shaping a bow. The angle that the grain runs off is the critical part. If the angle is too steep the bow is at risk. On the bows I make, the last 6" or so are non-working so that usually isn't a consideration.

[coyote pup]

TBod,


First let me say, good job on sticking to the principals of bow building and trying your best to not violate lateral grain in any way. You've got the right idea.

What George is saying is that you can help string alignment in handle and knock areas. In the handle it looks like you've got it. It looks like up towards the knocks is where it became confusing. Like he said, if you cut the one knock groove in deeper, it will set the string more to the side you want. Technically, this is a large violation of lateral grain, but even if your bow bends way out to the tips, it should not be a problem, especially if you just leave the knock area a tad stronger.

But the advice you've been given is good. It looks like your wood was not up to the task, and that the 28" was a bit too much to expect for 62".

Keep at 'er!

   Coyote Pup

[TBod]

Got it now! That totally makes sense.

Thanks Pat and Coyote.