There's a hole in my belly!

[upstatenybowyer]

Working on an HHB ALB. There's a hole where a knot used to be near the handle. Nothing on the other side though.  Recommendations? Fill it? If so with what?

Thanks

[Danzn Bar]

Clean it out and leave it a hole....my 2cents
DBar

[bubby]

Clean it out and leave it a hole....my 2cents
DBar

×2

[PatM]

The violated back will give you more potential problems.

[ajooter]

I dont think the back is violated...that looks like a little cambium is all.  As far as the belly goes you can just mix a little tb3 and sawdust together and fill it with that.

[PatM]

I dont think the back is violated...that looks like a little cambium is all.  As far as the belly goes you can just mix a little tb3 and sawdust together and fill it with that.

  It's violated wherever there isn't cambium. You simply cannot remove bark from HHB with a sharp edge and not violate it

 TB and sawdust is purely cosmetic. You need to try to duplicate solid wood if you want a functional fill.

[osage outlaw]

If that was my bow I'd leave it empty.

[upstatenybowyer]

Wow, I've never heard that about the cambium. I was extremely careful not to violate the wood underneath and I didn't think leaving a little cam on the back would be a problem. I've got the bow tillered out to 25" and there are absolutely no signs that it's about to blow. I was also careful not to leave any full running strands of cambuim. I figure if it's not continuous, it's not being stressed in tension, so how could it harm the bow?

Here's another pic of the back

[ajooter]

Not to hijack the thread...but ive never had hhb bark come off clean without leaving some cambium.  I did cut it a little later in the summer and im sure that accounted for the sticky cambium.  Ive also never had and of the bows i worked with cambium that i "scraped" off fail.

Ive also filled a couple holes with sawdust and glue and never had a problem.  Since the hole doesnt go all the way thru maybe this would create a different scenario...i dont know.

Just my experiences.  Im sure Pat has more experience then myself.

[Green Mountain Man]

I dont think it ll hurt anything,,IMHO

Id glue something interesting in it,,,,little eye ball would be funny : )

[PatM]

Wow, I've never heard that about the cambium. I was extremely careful not to violate the wood underneath and I didn't think leaving a little cam on the back would be a problem. I've got the bow tillered out to 25" and there are absolutely no signs that it's about to blow. I was also careful not to leave any full running strands of cambuim. I figure if it's not continuous, it's not being stressed in tension, so how could it harm the bow?

Here's another pic of the back

  Leaving the bits of cambium isn't a problem.  Nicking the ridges off can be. You have to see a peeled HHB trunk to realize what it's actually like under there.

[upstatenybowyer]

Thanks Pat. I took a very close look at the back and I see what you mean about the ridges. Think a safety backing is in order? Perhaps a strong paper? Man... I was really hoping for a nice natural back. 

[PatM]

HHB is one of the better woods for coping with this but I prefer to just keep it pristine. You probably can get away with it, many do.

  The best way to get it all off out of those furrows is to dampen it well and use a spoon tip to plough it all off and out of the valleys.

[mullet]

It's HHB, I wouldn't worry about it.

[osage outlaw]

I wouldn't worry about the back unless you are making a highly stressed design.  It should be fine with no backing.