Bowyers' weekend - 0 for 2

[cantshoot]

So my old friend and fellow new bowyer had a weekend of bowmaking.

We had fun and got more education than we were looking for. We were both working with some red oak boards we found.

Mine is in the front in the picture. It was 69" ntn, pyramid design with limbs 1.75" tapering to .6". I thought I could get away with this undersize board by shooting for low weight, 25# was my target. Tillering this bow it was trying to tell me something for sure. The limbs started to take a lot of set, and at 24" the bow was looking like it was done. I probably should have left it there and made some short arrows for it, or maybe I could have shortened down the handle to get sn additional inch working on each limb. But I decided I'd like to keep pushing my luck, I didn't want a 24" draw bow particularly.

So I kept tillering out to 26"... It's okay. I decided I can live with that so I pull an extra inch for a safety factor and got the dreaded TICK TICK sound. Lo and behold a tiny crack on the back corner near the handle. The crack is on the edge of the bow so I think maybe it's a long shot but lets try shaving it out, and rounding off the edge of the bow on the belly to relieve the stress. I also soaked some superglue and wrapped with thread just from desperation.

No dice... Pulled to 27" again and went boom. At least I was expecting it. It wasn't as demoralizing as i was worried breaking a bow would be. That being said I think I will skip home depot oak and go out this week to a specialty wood warehouse near my work and spring for a hickory board or one of their bow staves.

Either that or try to get my hands on a band saw and work on some maple billets I collected in February

[Badger]

  Find out if you have any bowmakers in your area you can spend a day or two working with. Was your grain straight on the oak? You had plenty of wood, it was not undersized at all. I also notice the hande block and fade area were not done before you started tillering the bow. Just stick with it and read all you can, learn from your mistakes and you will be up and running in no time.

[cantshoot]

  Find out if you have any bowmakers in your area you can spend a day or two working with. Was your grain straight on the oak? You had plenty of wood, it was not undersized at all. I also notice the hande block and fade area were not done before you started tillering the bow. Just stick with it and read all you can, learn from your mistakes and you will be up and running in no time.

Thanks mate. I am ready to start over... I'd like to make a second shooter by the end of the year so my wife can ditch her FG bow when we go out shooting.

Based on the amount of set the limbs were taking... They were at the limit. I think my error was in design. 10" of handle section could have been 7, and I could have left an extra .5 or 1 inch on the tips and I think it would have worked.

The kindling in the front of the picture is mine. The one in the background was my pal's.

[JoJoDapyro]

The back one looks like square corners, and definite run out at the transition to the handle.

What was wrapped around your limb? Kinda looks like you tried to fix an ooopsie. 

[cantshoot]

The back one looks like square corners, and definite run out at the transition to the handle.

What was wrapped around your limb? Kinda looks like you tried to fix an ooopsie. 

Jojo yes that was the little crack on the side I tried to rasp away and relieve but yeah OOPSY

It's a quarter sawn board so what looks like a run out is just the tradition. The board had run outs elsewhere but they weren't the weakest link it seems.

[PEARL DRUMS]

The lack of fades on both bows is a bigger issue to resolve than so-so grain. Even good grain wont allow either design.

[FilipT]

Look at these handles:
http://poorfolkbows.com/ipe1.htm

Bottom is preferred if you do glued up piece of wood for handle.

[cantshoot]

The lack of fades on both bows is a bigger issue to resolve than so-so grain. Even good grain wont allow either design.

Thanks man. For my next board how should I improve my handle design?

[PEARL DRUMS]

You want to lengthen that fade just by starting the upward swoop an inch sooner. It will getting the bending stopped sooner and more gradually. Start the fade swooping upward about where your pictures frame starts.

[koan]

The last picture looks like decaying wood... Or is that just a stain?.. Brian

[cantshoot]

Thanks Pearl. I agree with that.

Brian I was planning on ebonizing the bow with my homemade black ink. Before gluing the handle i dyed both sides so there wouldn't be a white glue line.