Bleah

[WhistlingBadger]

My continuing efforts to get a hunting bow out of local wood.  I've developed a bit of an obsession with building a juniper/sinew bow.  I'm intrigued with how they shoot (that kid's bow I made is snappy, really fast, even though it only draws 10#; it makes me wish I had a chronograph).  But mostly, this stuff is so beautiful.  I feel like a slightly better person just looking at it close up.   

Cut a few really nice-looking juniper branches this past spring, bending upward and knot-free on the inside of the bend.  Built in reflex; no steaming necessary!  Split them a few weeks ago to season, and just started working on them.  Each one has a side-knot right where the center of the limb should be, which seems to be a fatal flaw for any stave.  So I'll have to either try to get a couple of billets I can splice (really difficult, as I only have hand tools, no band saw for straight and level cuts), or head back to the hills, which I'm too sick to do right now.

OK< thanks for letting me get that off my chest.     Carry on.

[Muskyman]

Never had much luck with a pull saw, but mine is a cheapie. However I did watch a video of Clay Hayes making a spliced bow using a pull saw. Get well and good luck.

[Pat B]

If you take it easy a pull saw or even a hand saw should get it done. After cutting the splices steam them both at the same time, push the splice together and clamp it until it dries. That should give a usable if not better splice. You can always wrap the spliced handle area with sinew. The same with the side knots, sinew wrap them also after tillering. 

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys, and sorry for the whining.  I just made a rawhide quiver for my little buddy that's getting the kids bow as soon as I get over covid, and getting my hands and brain into a project always makes me feel a little better.

Musky, I've never used a pull saw, but I'll see if I can find that video.  Thanks for the tip.

Pat, I might try it again with a hand saw.  My big challenge with hand tools is keeping the cuts straight up and down.  I've got a little miter hand saw, but it's better for cutting boards.  Might see if I can modify it somehow. 

Side knots:  I plan on sinew backing this bow anyway...would wrapping a knot out the side of the limb with sinew make it shootable?  These aren't pin knots; they're finger-thumb size.

[Pat B]

A good sinew wrap on either side of each knot will prevent the wood from splintering which is where the problem lies. You will have to get the tillering done first and leave the area around the knot a little stiffer than the surrounding limb.
 Are you clamping the splice area while sawing? You have to hold it firmly to get a good saw cut.

[TimBo]

If you mark the cuts accurately and only saw the two sides you can see, it will be straight.  With splices you would have three sides, say belly is A, end is B, back is C.  Mark it out, saw A and B...you are sort of cutting a triangle part way through the wood.  Flip it over, use B to help guide the cut for C.  Hopefully that makes sense.  Full disclosure, I have not cut out any billet splices of any sort, but the principle of only cutting the sides you can see is something I learned from timber framing classes and is works great with handsaws.