You reckon I can fix this?

[FlintWalker]

Well....What about it? 
  I was thinkin maybe a little duct tape might do the trick!
  Actually, I was afraid something like this might happen. It had a lot of reflex plus I turned up the tips. I imagine it was just too much stress and a little extreme for my third attempt at bow making.  I knew something was up when I braced it for the first time and that limb instantly lost all of its reflex. I used a heat gun and bent it back to match the other one but it was too late, the damage was done.   
  I do plan to practice heat bending on the other limb, just to see what I can do.  I think my wife was more down about it than me. She ask me did I cry! 
  Oh well, it's just wood. I'll just try again and again and again and............SW

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Coo-wah-chobee]

 Tht'al teach ya Shannon ! Just kiddin ! Welcome to wood bow building 101 ! .bob

[FlintWalker]

I don't look at it as a failure. More like a learning experience. If I call it that, it don't hurt as much.  SW

[Justin Snyder]

Cut the split wood out of the middle.   Get yourself a patch about 66" long 1 1/2" wide and tapered to the ends.  Make sure it has a thick section about in the middle.  Then cut about an inch off each end of this bow and glue them on the patch for overlays. Tada you have fixed it and have a bow.  Justin

[Coo-wah-chobee]

Cut the split wood out of the middle.   Get yourself a patch about 66" long 1 1/2" wide and tapered to the ends.  Make sure it has a thick section about in the middle.  Then cut about an inch off each end of this bow and glue on for overlays. Tada you have fixed it and have a bow.  Justin

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        HUh ..bob

[Justin Snyder]

OK Bob, let me try explaining it again.  The "patch" will look like the first picture.  You cut the ends off the broken bow for tip overlays, and you are done.

[Coo-wah-chobee]

          Thx for further explanation Justin. ...bob           

[Pappy]

SW Was there a growth ring violation there or a knot or something,we reflex Osage all the time and it doesn't usually cause a problem.Look at it close and see if you can figure out what caused it.
Was the spring ring[the white chalky part]Thin or thick,I have seen them separate if they are thick.
Then if you can't figure it out cook brats with it,we all need fire wood.That is why I tell folks that are just getting started don't get to attached to a piece of wood until it is a bow.
   Pappy

[Pappy]

O ya I almost forgot,I don't think duct tape will do the trick on this one. ;)Did it break straight across or splinter up the limb.Usually straight across is dry rot.
   Pappy

[Minuteman]

Keep after it Sawfiler. Everybody hates this but" If ya ain't breakin' 'em ya ain't makin' 'em!"
 Do like Pappy said and try to determine why it broke and learn from it . Move on. It does hurt a bit  when that much work goes down the drain , keeps us humble though.

[Marc St Louis]

There is a reason that happened and it's not because of reflex or recurves. That one is mild compared to some I have made in the past.

[GregB]

If you want to salvage half of it, you can get you a billet and splice the good half and billet in the handle. Will have to reflex and thin the billet side to match. We did that to a Ryan style recurve that broke during the Classic. Havn't worked on it since splicing though.

[Pappy]

After looking at the picture closer it looks like the ratio between the spring and summer growth is
not as good as it could be.If you have more wood like that you may want to overbuild it a little
and go for a lighter weight.Just an observation.
    Pappy

[1/2primitive]

Too bad, that looked good, but it would be hard for anyone's third attempt. I haven't even tried something like that and I've been doing it for about 2 1/2 years.
     Sean

[George Tsoukalas]

Nope. Jawge