Privet Sapling- snap, crackle,pop

[mikebarg]

Well, it was a 1" diameter privet sapling. The bow was 55" TTT, pulling 30# @ 22 inches. But, after about 60 shots.... crack....

[dylanholderman]

my high crowned stuff breaks like that except the end is usually more tapered, could just be the difference in woods we're using.
was there a pin knot anywhere near that break?

looks like there was a very slight thin spot just ahead of the break.

[Rākau]

bugger, any chrysals on the belly by the crack?

[mikebarg]

The belly looks fine . here you can see a knot on the edge.

[dylanholderman]

Possible that the knot acted as a stress riser making it let go there  some other guys might come along with some more insight.

In my opinion from what I can see with that braced pic you were looking good but it’s hard to say for sure without a unbraced and full draw shot, high crown and short length upped the challenge for you but keep at it high crown staves can be pretty fast for a stick bow when they work out.

[mikebarg]

The first pic shows braced and un-braced. But, I didn't get a full draw pic.

[dylanholderman]

wow my brain totally slid over that one 

i think you were on the right track just right this one off as learning experience/flaw that you couldn't see from the outside and nail the next one.
if you ain't breakin you ain't makin

[Rākau]

it looks like you had a thin spot just before the knot there/ between the two knots  this could have been the culprit.

[mikebarg]

Yes. A little bit of undulation in that limb and that knot messed with my mind. I'm going to try again when I find a similar sapling to work. I had another larger diameter roughed out piece of privet drying but it developed a crack on the back. I haven't had that problem with privet before.

[Rākau]

that's interesting, I find privet to be the easiest wood to dry that I have come accross, I have stripped the bark off 3" saplings and not even sealed the ends and still haven't had drying checks.

[Hamish]

What was the brace Height? It looked a little high for the bows length. It wouldn't have been a crucial issue, but could have contributed to the cumulative stress.