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Author Topic: how often do yall have one go boom?  (Read 9211 times)

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Offline sleek

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how often do yall have one go boom?
« on: May 22, 2015, 10:23:38 pm »
So im curious how often you guys ( especially the more experienced guys ) have one break on you. Also what is the biggest cause for why they break? Tiller, wood quality, pushing the limits intentionally?  About how many out of say, 10, do you have break?
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Offline JonW

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2015, 10:54:03 pm »
I usually break one a year. I may make a dozen one year and two dozen the next year but one break a year is typical. Usually an unexpected flaw in the wood.
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Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2015, 12:37:57 am »
None so far. Have made 8 since last may. I'm sure I'm due.
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If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
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Offline jeffp51

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2015, 01:01:35 am »
Joe you must be either better or less daring than I.  I have broken 4 in the last year--all but one were questionable staves to begin with.  Only one really went boom.
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Offline bow101

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2015, 01:10:11 am »
Broke 2 in the last 2 months.  The reason the last one broke was a weak handle, it basically broke dead center.  The previous one was bad tiller and design.  Overall I'm 3 bows ahead and working on another.  I have carved out a couple short saplings that broke, then again possibly tiller  :o  but I use that term loosely, to much pith and not enough meat.   Doing this over 3 years at odd times.  Its only recently that I work out in the shop 4-5 days a week.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2015, 01:34:35 am by bow101 »
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Offline jayman448

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2015, 01:19:53 am »
100%... cuz i dont know what im doing apparently xDhaha
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Offline PAHunter

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2015, 01:32:38 am »
With decent wood, it's been pretty rare (1 in 10 maybe).  Every once in awhile one goes boom.  It's when I play with questionable wood that things change.  I went on a sassafras kick one year and produced a whole lot of firewood.  ;) 
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mikekeswick

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2015, 02:00:36 am »
It's been a few years. Last one was a sinew backed juniper.....should've used one more layer of sinew.....that one really did go BOOOMMMMM!
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2015, 02:44:32 am »
It's like busses...
None for ages then 3 come along at once.
Last one two were decayed wood.
One before that was pushing it...(well pulling it really) too far. I forgot it was tillered to 26" and drew it to 28 ::).
It was fine for half a second >:D
Say 1 in 10
Del
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Offline Poggins

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2015, 08:59:53 am »
I don't build very many bows a year but have only had one blow on me , I have a few set back that need a little attention before they do blow from a flaw in the wood , just need to sinew wrap a spot or two on them before I go any further .
The one that did blow was from a combination of tiller ( stiff spot right out of a fade ) and unfamiliar with the wood ( chittamwood , now I know to scrape the soft layer off the back and go a little big with the profile ) , I've been pushing some osage lately on some mollies so another blowup may be coming soon , got a 55" TTT going and going to be a little heavy with flipped tips , only going to have a 26" draw but the tips may lay 2 1/2" forward like the last one , pin knots on both limbs are my main concern .
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Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2015, 10:07:10 am »
Breaking bows is part of the process, like Del said you never know. I can trace most of my breaks to questionable wood, some from extra long draw length guys shooting the bows and some are anybodies  guess.

I would guess that one out ten of my bows broke early on, one out of twenty later on when I learned to avoid questionable wood. I haven't broken one in years now but don't crank them out like I once did.

As for spectacular bow failures, I have had three that I remember that turned into shrapnel. All of my other failures were a crack that got worse and put a bow out of action.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2015, 12:14:22 pm by Eric Krewson »
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Offline wizardgoat

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2015, 10:58:12 am »
I've made nearly 30 and haven't made one go boom yet.
BUT, When one is heading south I throw it in the corner and grab another stave.
There's a "few" in that corner. Plus I use mostly yew and it's very forgiving
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Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2015, 01:31:15 pm »
I am very careful, and very slow. I have messed up 2 kids bows, but it was obvious as soon as I made the mistake on those. So I guess you can say that I have a 20% failure rate. Also, my only Osage bow is not fun to shoot. It is far too heavy.
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If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2015, 02:18:32 pm »
Not many booms but lots of badly bents. The few booms I did have were spectacular, though!  8)
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Offline Badger

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Re: how often do yall have one go boom?
« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2015, 05:08:42 pm »
  I don't consider broken bows as a measure of success or failure. Using compromised staves can result in broken bows. I would rather think about how many bows have I screwed up that too much set, or how many recurves did I overheat or bend wrong and crack. I like to think of bows as having a grade attached to them based largely on performance and other characteristics such as alignment, handshock, asthetics etc. If a bow gets below a c it is not a good bow, if it gets an f it is a fail.
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