Red oak blow up :(

[crwjr]

I was tillering a red oak run of the mill D shape longbow. I got it to about a 3" brace height and worked a little more wood off the belly. I tried to get it to full brace and it snapped about 6" from the top nock!!! This was going to be my nephews first long bow and he was helping me work on it. I felt so bad because he bought the bow and brought it to me to make for him. Why would it have broke in that peticuler spot? Was it still to stiff or needed worked a little more? Should I have put a backing on it?  It was bending very well before this! Feel pretty bad about it!

[blackhawk]

Need some pics to make a diagnosis

[crwjr]

Need some pics to make a diagnosis

I didn't take pics of the process. So I don't think pics now would do any good. It broke 6" below the nocks.

[BOWMAN53]

How thin were the tips?

[blackhawk]

Pics of the two broken pieces will tell a LOT about what happened....trying to interpret just words from a novice won't tell me anything.

[Slackbunny]

You shouldn't feel too bad about it. Bows are going to break in the building process, garunteed. That is perhaps the only hard and fast fact in this field. You will break more, but you will also make more, so just jump right back on the horse.

[lostarrow]

Ask anyone that participated in the red oak board bow trade.Haha. Made 3 before I sent the 4th out .1 broke ,  2 not up to snuff to give away. WoodbenderDW has been coming over to work on his , I think he's caught up to me now with # of red oak and is getting sick of it. Iconicmuffin has had his share of tribulations as well. It will make a bow , but is not by anymeans foolproof. Post the pics of the pieces and we can come up with all kinds of reasons it didn't work . Then you can pick the one that helps you sleep better at night.  I'm going to say  that some pieces of wood just don't want to be bows! They would rather be handrails ,or broom handles , or hockey sticks ,or......................................................................firewood. Get the marshmallows out, and grab another stick to wittle on while you're waiting on the coals. Hickory might serve you better if you can get it.

[mikekeswick]

You shouldn't feel too bad about it. Bows are going to break in the building process, garunteed. That is perhaps the only hard and fast fact in this field. You will break more, but you will also make more, so just jump right back on the horse.

Hey are you sure it's guaranteed that bows will break in the building process? I think something like 'it's guaranteed that you will break bows whilst learning to make them' might be more correct 
The bow in question likely broke because of poor grain in the board.
One thing is for certain it broke for a specific reason. Things don't 'just happen'....

[bubby]

You shouldn't feel too bad about it. Bows are going to break in the building process, garunteed. That is perhaps the only hard and fast fact in this field. You will break more, but you will also make more, so just jump right back on the horse.

Hey are you sure it's guaranteed that bows will break in the building process? I think something like 'it's guaranteed that you will break bows whilst learning to make them' might be more correct 
The bow in question likely broke because of poor grain in the board.
One thing is for certain it broke for a specific reason. Things don't 'just happen'....
+1, bub

[Squirrelslayer]

man i know how you feel. when the first bow i tried making broke i gave up but i eventually started up again and now ive found something that works. i havn't acctualy worked on red oak but from what iv'e read it takes a good backing. was this bow backed? again soe pics of the brocken bow would help.

he bought the bow and brought it to me to make for him.

you say he bought the wood, maybe he didn't look for the right grain? hope this helps. SS

[bubby]

man i know how you feel. when the first bow i tried making broke i gave up but i eventually started up again and now ive found something that works. i havn't acctualy worked on red oak but from what iv'e read it takes a good backing. was this bow backed? again soe pics of the brocken bow would help.


with a good board the only backing red oak needs is AIR, same with maple, white oak hickory, birch, ash................the list goes on man,

[George Tsoukalas]

Sounds like you used a board and I would suspect grain issues but a bow breaking there is unusual though I've had it happen with a BL bow years ago.  I took too much wood off a reflexed area. Jawge

[crwjr]

Here are a few pics of the grain and the braking point! I thought the grain looked good but what do I know im a novice.

Can any of you make anything from this? If I was to guess I would say I was trying to get it to full draw to early and it was to heavy!?!?

[paleryder]

Wood too dry?

[Jmilbrandt]

Wood too dry?

That would be my first guess.