Cracked backing! ? "insert string of explicatives"

[Prarie Bowyer]

So I'm wrapping up an ELB in the 30# range.  It took alot more string follow than I anticipated, 2.5" per limb.  Fine what ever.  Note to self on the next ones in that combo give it 2" of reflex at glueup.  I did the horn arrowpass inlay.  Came out nicely.  Nice nocks.  Oiled the wood and put it in my basement rafter and today the backing (bamboo) has two long vertical cracks.

So I'm looking at this and thinking "F#$%^&*(*&^%$#%^&*(*&^%$%^&*(&^%$#%^&*(*&^%$#@$%^&*&^%$#"

but that is just because I had a terrible day at work.  Looking foreward I think I have three options.

1) fill it with superglue and saw dust and pray.  They are hairline.
2)Saw it off and put in a new core and backing.  Remove the string follow at glue-up by gluing in a bit of back bend and hope that I don't need to touch the belly much beyond clean off glue squeeze out.
3) Saw the whole thing in 1/2 sell my tools and send it all to hell.


Decisions decisions.

[lesken2011]

Hang in there, Scott. I know it's a bummer. I had one of those weeks, too.

[JW_Halverson]

Vertical crack?  Are you holding the bow parallel with the horizon or at a perpendicular angle to the horizon?

Does the crack run lengthwise or across the limb?  Lengthwise I am imagining.  I'd fill 'er with stooperglue and wrap red silk thread around the limbs where the cracks begin and end. 

[Pat B]

Its all in the perspective, ain't it JW! 
  If the cracks are running lengthwise and not running off the bow just fill them with super glue and let it cure out. The cracks are probably drying checks and are probably only a cosmetic problem.

[Gordon]

What Pat said...

[Del the cat]

Lengthwise cracks don't matter a jot.
You could take 3 bows of 10# draw weight and tape 'em side by side with gaffer tape. You'd have a 30# bow.
Ok.. the nocks and grip would be a bit tricky but there would be no danger of it breaking despite the two 'cracks' running the whole length.
Del

[Cameroo]

Scott, if you are getting 2.5 inches of set on a 30-something pound bow, I don't think that gluing in more reflex is the solution.  You need to look at what is causing the set - most likely you are putting too much stress on the wood while tillering.  Glueing in more reflex will reduce or eliminate the amount of string follow, but does nothing to reduce the amount of set the bow takes.

[mikekeswick]

Scott, if you are getting 2.5 inches of set on a 30-something pound bow, I don't think that gluing in more reflex is the solution.  You need to look at what is causing the set - most likely you are putting too much stress on the wood while tillering.  Glueing in more reflex will reduce or eliminate the amount of string follow, but does nothing to reduce the amount of set the bow takes.

Exactly right

If you glue in more reflex then you will get more strain = more set.
If your bamboo has checked then it was at too high a moisture content before glue-up. You should make sure it is dry before trying to use it in a bow.
The checks are completely cosmetic but it's not really the point if you are selling it.
If you cut the backing off and then tried to straighten the belly before gluing a new backing on you would pretty much be wasting your time as the belly cells are already crushed (set)....or another way of saying you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.....

[Prarie Bowyer]

Superglue and bamboo sanding dust made them dissapear.    Have changedmy soggy diaper and am in a better mood today.

Bow was something of a discovery bow again.  Had a notion of dimensions to presaw and it wasn't close..... I dropped the weight from 40 where I wanted it to even out the bend near the handle.  I'm happy enough with it.

I just did a string follow repair on a friends kids bow.  Hickory with like 3-4" on the limbs.  Clamped it straight to a 3/16" maple backing cleaned it up and it seems to be working out. 

I'm just changing the design for the ELB.  I think my issue is that I got cheap and sued a core I had made earlier to save time.  I wanted a bendy handle but wound up with a handle clump.  Then just took it off.

[DarkSoul]

Maybe I missed it, but what was the belly wood?

[mikekeswick]

I just did a string follow repair on a friends kids bow.  Hickory with like 3-4" on the limbs.  Clamped it straight to a 3/16" maple backing cleaned it up and it seems to be working out. 

Be under no illusion that this 'fix' has 'fixed' anything. Just because it might look straighter it will still shoot like a bow with 3-4 inches of string follow.

[Prarie Bowyer]

Mikeswick -  by "fix" I mean it is straight, and seems to have gought some life extension.  It also picked up several pounds in draw weight.  So... If it looks like coffee, smells like coffee, and tastes like coffee its either coffee or chickory... so... close enough.

Belly was hickory sap wood.