Board bow with starting crack at handle

[ionicmuffin]

I currently have a board bow that is 78" and 75" ntn. its draw is 60-65# at 32"  and it has developed a crack at the handle on the back of the bow(i removed wood there...)  I want to fix it since its basicly done and just needs final touches. Think i could get away with some wood glue and twine?

[toomanyknots]

Thats not good at that spot. Not good at all. I would say it is a goner. Sorry about the crack.  Might not wanna violate the back anywhere on the next one, even on the handle? Looks like your fades could be a bit short too, fades are best when they blend into the limb gradually. This is alot more important on a bow with a glued on handled than a selfbow. I would say what is happening is the board that is the limbs and the piece that is the handle is separating and the board that is the limbs of the bow is breaking right at that spot that is cracked. As a red oak board plus a yard of linen is only about 25 bucks, you can always give it another go?  Also, I would advise to back the first couple bows you make with a strong linen fabric.

[ionicmuffin]

true enough. i was still considering gluing it up and leaving it on the tillering stick a bit. if it snaps it snaps. if it doesnt i can put it through some limb exercising? also good practice if this happens with a nice stave bow?

[George Tsoukalas]

 Not a good board. You need straight grained boards tip to tip. I see swirly grain and islands of wood. Start another. This time with  I glue ons. Info on my site. Not at my computer. If interested I will elaborate later. Jawge

[ionicmuffin]

well, in any case ive put the glue on with hemp twine as to see what will happen to the bow when its dry. hope to see it turn out well.

[ionicmuffin]

well, now one piece of wood is 2... you guys told me so. but it was fun

[osage outlaw]

Now you get to start on a new one.  Check out George's site.  It has some great info on it.  Start out with a good board and don't cut into the back on the next one.  Save the limbs from the broken one.  Once you get into staves, you can make a bunch of different shaped spacers out of them to use while making heat corrections.  That is how my one and only board bow ended up.

[JW_Halverson]

Not sure who in here said it first, but if you ain't breakin', you ain't makin'!

Learn your lessons from this one and make the next one all that much better.  Good luck!

[ionicmuffin]

by using them for spacers what do you mean by that osageoutlaw? JW i totally agree, i wouldnt learn if i didnt break that one.

[osage outlaw]

When heat straightening a stave, I use small blocks of wood to help line up the bow on the caul or angle iron.  I also use them under the pads of the C-clamps so they don't dent the wood as bad. 


Here is a bow on a caul.  I didn't have to use many spacers on it because it was already straight.  If I needed to make a sideways bend on it, I would have put a small spacer between the bow and the form and then tightened a clamp until it was a little past straight.

[Badger]

  75" long and 32" draw is too much for a rigid glued on handle. Board is only 3/4" thick and will flex in the middle.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Not sure who in here said it first, but if you ain't breakin', you ain't makin'!

!

I must admit that phrase drives me crazy J-Dub. I would say you aint learning if you aint tbreaking. Once you learn very, very, very few should ever break. 

[George Tsoukalas]

PD, that would be me. Sooner or later we all break 'em. I still break'em and I've made lots. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

"Set happens!" That's also mine. Jawge

[JW_Halverson]

I get where you are coming from, Pearlie.  On the one hand, you can take what you have learned and repeat that one successful bow design from now until the cows come home.  Or you can learn by taking risks and thereby risk breaking.  An addendum to the adage might well be, "...and if you keep breakin' and not learnin', take up golf."  Hey, maybe you oughta write a book with these sayings..."Pearlies Wisdom"!

Sounds like Muffinhead learnt something off this one, so all is not lost.  He certainly isn't so discouraged he's quitting yet.  Wait!  Isn't that an indicator of addiction?  Somebody get this man some osage!  STAT!