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Author Topic: What to do with these knots?  (Read 2451 times)

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Offline ajbruggink

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  • Aaron Bruggink, Oostburg, WI, USA
What to do with these knots?
« on: June 26, 2014, 09:40:12 pm »
Hey guys,

I'm a complete newbie here and I'm building a bow for a friend out of a stave. My other bowbuilding adventures so far were with board stock so I never encountered this problem. This piece of yew had some knots in it, in particular a piece that looked like cut off branch sticking out of one end. I tried to work around it but I didn't take into account that the knot/branch thing would continue throughout the thickness of the stave. That's problem number one and I wanted to know if anything could be done about it. The next one is a knot on the other side that has just been causing a mess out of the wood and it seems like whatever I've been doing I've just been making it worse. Luckily I'm almost to desired thickness on that part, I don't know if that helps. I wanted to ask you guys because I'm new to this and I think this might be faster than trying to glean the answer in my collection of bowbuilding books, because I've been trying that and I haven't found it yet. Any replies are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Aaron
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Offline Pat B

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Re: What to do with these knots?
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2014, 11:54:52 pm »
...wear a lot of protective gear.  ;)
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Offline Pappy

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Re: What to do with these knots?
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2014, 05:16:17 am »
O that is ugly,where in the bow is it located ?  :)
Pappy
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Offline ajbruggink

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  • Aaron Bruggink, Oostburg, WI, USA
Re: What to do with these knots?
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2014, 12:37:11 pm »
One of the knots is about a foot away from one tip and the other branch/knot thing is five inches away from the other tip. I have a set of billets to make a new bow for my friend and then cut off the ends of this one, maybe sinew back it or make a kid's bow out of it?
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Offline DarkSoul

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Re: What to do with these knots?
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2014, 12:41:19 pm »
How long is the stave? What draw weight and - length are you aiming for?
That knot near the tip is pretty nasty, but will luckily be part of the stiff tips anyway. Both knots are healthy and not punky, so that's a good thing. Tiller both knots so they are stiff. Leave the area a bit wider to compensate for the knots' weakness. You've already done that a bit, which is good. I see no clear reason why this stave would not make a bow, actually. Yew is some strong stuff...
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: What to do with these knots?
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2014, 12:47:58 pm »
Personally, I wouldn't spend a minute of my spare time on it. Hey, you asked!
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Offline ajbruggink

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  • Aaron Bruggink, Oostburg, WI, USA
Re: What to do with these knots?
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2014, 12:56:50 pm »
It is 66 inches long at the moment, I was aiming for a 60 lb bow at my friend's draw of 26". I originally left one side wide because its twisted and needs to bent straight.
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: What to do with these knots?
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2014, 01:12:54 pm »
That sort of knot is rather beyond the scope of a relative beginner, and most old hands wouldn't use it unless they felt like a challenge.
If you google Bowyers Diary you'll see everything I do and the fixes I use to get round knots, but they aren't often that bad. You'll also find some of my bows that exploded !
Still we all learn by trying stuff. If you carry on, do so in hope rather than expectation!
Del
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Offline Blaflair2

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Re: What to do with these knots?
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2014, 08:52:40 pm »
Could you wrap the stiff part of the tips? Like 6" of each? I know it'd add weight but maybe hold the knot together
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Offline ajbruggink

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  • Aaron Bruggink, Oostburg, WI, USA
Re: What to do with these knots?
« Reply #9 on: June 27, 2014, 10:42:08 pm »
I think I solved one of the problems. I hacked at the branch/knot thingy with a hatchet until it flew out and I smoothed the end with a drawknife. The tip is already wider than I planned so it might work.
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Offline Crogacht

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Re: What to do with these knots?
« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2014, 10:46:00 pm »
Quote from: ajbruggink on June 27, 2014, 10:42:08 pm
I think I solved one of the problems. I hacked at the branch/knot thingy with a hatchet until it flew out and I smoothed the end with a drawknife. The tip is already wider than I planned so it might work.

That's MY kind of solution :D But then again, I don't have a working bow yet, so take that however you like :P Goodluck with it!  ;D
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