Billet Question

[loco cacahuate]

Sorry if this subject has been discussed before but......
I have a Cherry plank over 4' and 1 inch thick. For my next project I would like to make a Hickory backed cherry bow with a Z cut splice. I've practiced making cutting the joint with some scrap lumber. My question is, do I need to put a dowel in the joint?

[snakebow]

I have spliced 2 bows so far so I am not an expert, but I put 2 dowells through the handle and have had no problems.

[Pat B]

With the hickory backing and probably a riser on the belly side it shouldn't be necessary.     Pat

[kayakfisher]

all the bows I have made are made from billets never doweled any of them , I have put a small piece of 1/8 plywood or another piece of wood on the belly side , riser to reinforce the joint
         Dennis

[adb]

If your splices are well cut, with little to no gap, a dowel is not necessary. Actually, a dowel will make a good splice joint weaker. A good splice, with a backing and riser handle... will never fail at the splice. After all, it's not bending there.

[Hillbilly]

I've only done two spliced bows, but the one I put dowels in failed and the one I didn't dowel worked great. A split started at one of the dowel holes and worked across to the other, and boom.

[GraemeK]

The dowel only weakens the joint -- if the glue will not hold it together then the dowel certainly will not save it.

Graeme

[TRACY]

I'm not an expert in the billet area but have done a handful of splices now and don't use the dowel. My opinion is that it's better time spent making good cuts that match and gluing on a handle backing(belly side). There is a Build- Along that has some very useful info in the main menu.

Tracy

[OldBow]

Most all of my bows are from billets. I don't dowel them but I do cram slivers of wood into any gaps.