Death of an elm bow

[occupant]

I was finishing the tiller on bows at home that I was working on as part of a demo at the local renfest. At about 70# I heard a sickening "tick". I stopped there, checked all 4 sides end to end and found nothing. Went up to about 73# and heard another, and still no visible sign. I knew the bow was probably scrap, so I was going to go up a couple more pounds, then it let go. Looking through the wreckage I found several tunnels that ran lengthwise and zig zagged along one limb for at least a foot. I wish there was a was to find internal flaws ahead of time without an x-ray.

[gstoneberg]

That's too bad, I hate insect damage in a bow, especially if you don't spot it until you're looking at pieces.

George

[Del the cat]

Yeah that dreaded 'tick' a sound we all hate.
Commisserations. Did you make the explosion part of the demo?
I deliberately blew a skinny Hazel stick at one festival at our club, went down a storm
Del

[Onebowonder]

This happened to my son's first bow at Mojam this summer.  It was Hickory backed Red Oak.  Apparently the Hick had played host to a bit of vermiculture that was not readily visible from the outside.  Just as he had it bending nicely along the length of both limbs, it blew up catastrophically on the tree.  All heads turned at the sound of the explosion!

[JW_Halverson]

Keep a cottonball on hand to find those dreadful ticks.  They will snag on the least bit of splinter.  Mind you, it would have done no good with this bow having been a bug host. 

Glad it blew while in your care instead of in the hands of someone else, you dodged a bullet there.  It's all part of the game, adds spice and anticipation....is it gonna blow?  will it survive?  That's part of why none of us are running CNC machines cranking out production parts for wheel bows, I guess!  Better luck, friend, on the next one!

[occupant]

Here is my feeble attempt at follow up replies. Del: I broke it at home doing the final tillering. I could only use tools available 600 years ago for the demo and wanted to do the final stuff to the bows at home where I could use a spring scale instead of a rope, pulleys, and a box for the weight. Onebow: If I'm not mistaken, the almost a bow you looked at out there was the one that broke. JW: It was going to be for my son, but yes, it's better it came apart while tillering than in his hand at full draw.

[Marc St Louis]

If there were tunnels inside then those bugs had to get in there somehow.  You must have missed their entry point.

[occupant]

I'm sure there were. It was a standing elm that died about 15 years ago. I went down through the rings 1 1/2 inch to good wood. I've made several bows from this tree, this is the second to last stave I have from it.