Bow blunders..........

[swamp monkey]

I did a glue up with hickory strip, butternut wood, and a handle riser.   I wanted reflex in it.  I paid so much attention to the handle and over all glue up that I forgot to notice I left it all with the handle facing up.   The bow was resting on two wooden blacks at each tip.  I wanted reflex.  I got deflex.  And on a precious slab of butternut wood.

Duh-oh!

[JW_Halverson]

I once tossed about half the nails in a box away because the head was on the wrong side....

YOU IDIOT!!!  Those were for the other side of the wall!!!

[sleek]

I once tossed about half the nails in a box away because the head was on the wrong side....

YOU IDIOT!!!  Those were for the other side of the wall!!!

They were roofing nails JW....

[SLIMBOB]

While making my son Jake a bow a few years ago....Had some Hackberry that i worked down to bow shape. Had it close to bending but still too thick, so I took the belt sander to it to reduce the belly.  Hit it for 3-4 minutes....taking wood off the back.

[H Rhodes]

Chased a ring on a nice osage stave and then, while talking to a nice young fellow who was interested in learning how to make a bow, I proceeded to take the rough side of a farrier's rasp and utterly demolish the back of the bow, thinking that it was the belly (glasses beaded up with sweat, maniac gorilla school of tillering).  I invented some types of profanity that I'm sure this boy had never been exposed to.  Grabbed another stave and told him "Now we start again".   Best goof so far....  I'm sure there will be more.   He did have the difference in 'back' and 'belly' firmly galvanized in his mind when he left.   

[MWirwicki]

I'm pretty good with a bandsaw.  (Maybe, I should end my story here, you all would get the picture ).
Had a straighter than straight, primo osage stave.  Longitudinal grain so straight, I was able to draw the bow out with a yardstick.  All was going well; cut the first limb...looking good.  Turned the stave around and began my cut.  Got halfway through the second limb and realized that I was cutting my center line.   

[coxral]

I once tossed about half the nails in a box away because the head was on the wrong side....

YOU IDIOT!!!  Those were for the other side of the wall!!!

Thanks guys! I needed that this morn'n! 

[coxral]

All excited over my first self bow. Made out of big leaf maple, new it wouldn't be a keeper, for practice. Got it done and decided to cut an arrow shelf... ON THE BELLY!!! Doh!

[Sidewinder]

I think we have all done the upside down nocks thing have'nt we?
Heres another one. I was having a few too many libations around the campfire one night and wanted to show off a bow of mine. Attempted to string it..."man I don't remember it being that hard to string?"  So I tried a little harder ...CRACK was the next sound I heard. Seperated  right out of the fade on the belly of the bow that was at that time acting as the back. It did make a good fire poker for the rest of the night though.  Danny

[adb]

I glued a tip overlay on the belly of a bow once.  . Thankfully I was in my shop solo at the time. 

[Gsulfridge]

Ahh. . .Classic memories.  That was funny.

[wizardgoat]

I ditched a bunched of thick ringed yew.
I've recently made bows from other thick ringed yew and I shed a small tear whenever I walk past my junk pile in my back yard.

[missilemaster]

All this is just what I needed to hear. Tonight I got about halfway through shaping a handle when it occurred to me that it was upside down, bottom limb on top!
 I was able to switch gears and and finish the handle right side up. It actually turned out looking pretty good.(whew!)

[caveman2533]

I once was handed a bow by another member here (who shall remain nameless) and he said giver a try. Now right off I noticed it had a knot about the size of a dime ON THE EDGE, of the upper limb, actually I should correct that it was not a knot it was where a not used to be as it was a hole and looked like the knot had fallen out. I even questioned him is this going to even work,, Yea yea I have drawn it  lots. I didn't even get to half draw and Boom!! the limb blew up and I punched myself in the face. I calmly handed it back to him and said well back to the drawing board, make an atl atl out of the other half.

[sleek]

Hehe I have punched myself in the face before. Pissed me off so bad I was tempted to kick my own ass. Lol