Filling a slot

[DC]

You showed me one before that you filled in.   I have dried numerous saplings the old fashioned way never had any splitting. 

What can I say? If I don't kerf the handle they split. Some worse than others. I'm constantly trying different methods of drying this stuff(OS) and it's getting better but this method works well except for having to fill the slot.

[bubbles]

I did a few veneers on a bow I did  recently. It was the back of a lam  bow though.   I'm no expert, but I would recommend a non water based glue (epoxy)to keep the veneer from curling. I then used butchers twine to wrap the veneer to keep it down.  Wrap maybe every eighth  inch.   

[DC]

I had it in mind to soak the veneer to try and make it follow the undulations(nice word eh) of a self bow. Maybe not a good idea? The only veneer work I've done was the dashboard of a '68 Spitfire.

[Eric Krewson]

I would have cut the handle flat and glued on a new one starting with a couple of 1/8" strips, with good glue and feathering into the fades these never pop off.

I like your fix though, you gotta' do what you gotta' do to save a potential bow.

Here is my most radical handle save, great osage but a swirl in the split eliminated about of a third of what would be the handle. I made a BBO out of the stave to help hold the added wood together. The fix was about 10 years ago and the bow is still shooting as far as I know.



The bow was found in an archery shop in Chattanooga a few years back, a guy sent me a picture when he saw my name on it,

[Aries]

I like your strategy! I'll keep that in the back of my mind if I ever get my hands on ocean spray, let us know how it holds up to bending.

[bow101]

You showed me one before that you filled in.   I have dried numerous saplings the old fashioned way never had any splitting. 

What can I say? If I don't kerf the handle they split. Some worse than others. I'm constantly trying different methods of drying this stuff(OS) and it's getting better but this method works well except for having to fill the slot.

Ok I remember now.
You need to dry in a warmer place .  If I cut it in the fall it sits in the garden shed outside with bark on and ends sealed for about 4-5 months.  Then I will hang it in a semi warm garage till September never had problems with it after that.
Done this with BL, OS and Hawthorn no checking the Hawthorn was 5".  This is why I got addicted to building lam bows got tired of waiting for it to dry naturally  so I kept buying the stuff.   
Now when I get energetic I run down to the lumber store and get dry material       and I have Black Locust right in front of me.
Let me put this in perspective I wont build laminate limbs/bows risers from natural stock.