Re: Maple stave-Now it's blown!--what have we learned?

[bradsmith2010]

if you are worried about the dents, then just sinew wrap those areas,, you dont have to do the whole bow

[jeffp51]

It broke while exercising the limb  just shy of 22 inches.  I never drew it past 46#.  It broke just below the last knot cluster where it seemed to be stiffest.  There was no warning, just a violent explosion and that was that.  Didn't hit my head, but I was glad I had the safety glasses on all the same.  I think either:

1.  the stave was doomed from the start, or
2.  it was too thin just shy of the knot causing stress that the wavy grain could not take.  the kid bow from the same tree broke in almost the exact same way (diagonal fracture just below a knot).

I wonder if heat treating made the wood more brittle.

I have one more stave roughed out from this tree that is much cleaner, both on the back and knot-wise.  It won't hurt to try again.

[sleek]

Those knots forced you to violate the grain too much. The grain swirled around the knots and though you tried to follow it it wasnt enough.  I bet with no knots you would have been fine.

[Sidewinder]

Dang Jeff, now I know what bow you were talking about. Well it won't be long and you can start on the yellar wood.

[bambule]

I have made several maple bows and heattreating is difficult with maple, my suggestion. If you treat them slowly I have good results. If the heat is too hot and too deep the wood became brittel and chrysals or broke very fast.

Greetz

Cord

[PEARL DRUMS]

Sugar Maple has its place in the self bow world. Good try Jeff. Sounds Danny has you hooked up with some no-fail wood!

[JoJoDapyro]

Jeff, you are doing well. You have done something I have yet to do, TWICE. I haven't pushed enough yet. You are pushing and learning. I am very impressed with your work. Explosions or not. 

[SLIMBOB]

As a rule, I won't heat treat a bow if there are lots of knots on the back. I want to lessen the strain on the back in those cases, or at least minimize the strain. I'm sold on the benefits of it, but this is one case where a little set might have saved it.

[Blaflair2]

If ya ain't breaking ya ain't making! Sorry about your loss, get after another!