Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: razorsharptokill on January 10, 2020, 04:04:39 pm

Title: crack in back
Post by: razorsharptokill on January 10, 2020, 04:04:39 pm
Got through the sapwood and found this. Fatal? Could shorten the bow and thin the limb and eliminate the crack. It would end up being a teen/young adult bow but that is fine too.
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: Pat B on January 10, 2020, 05:14:00 pm
Jim, follow the grain the check is on. If it stays in the limb and doesn't run off you should be OK.
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: bradsmith2010 on January 10, 2020, 07:24:14 pm
Not fatal )P(
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: SLIMBOB on January 10, 2020, 07:28:51 pm
My first thought is can you eliminate the crack?  Is it wide enough?  If so, that’s a possibility. If not, so long as it does not travel off the edge you could be fine like it is.
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: bjrogg on January 10, 2020, 08:01:30 pm
My first thought is can you eliminate the crack?  Is it wide enough?  If so, that’s a possibility. If not, so long as it does not travel off the edge you could be fine like it is.

This is my thought to.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: Pat B on January 10, 2020, 09:15:42 pm
I would add thin super glue to the checks.
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: Russ on January 10, 2020, 10:17:47 pm
If your worried do a rawhide bandaid and superglue. otherwise, listen to these guys!
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: bradsmith2010 on January 10, 2020, 11:04:04 pm
Rawhide sounds good, probably not needed, but I like it
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: bownarra on January 11, 2020, 01:56:32 am
What caused that check? Tension in the wood as it dried too fast. Is all that tension gone? Could it open up when shooting?
Sure you could try and fill it with CA but personally I'd remove it. Osage can do 80# @ 1 inch wide.
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: Pat B on January 11, 2020, 07:23:43 am
Checks are generally caused by drying, as the wood dries it shrinks and if not prevented by sealing can pull the wood apart along a grain. I would seal the back and if you expose another back ring later seal it again and keep it sealed until final sanding and adding the finish. Shellac works well for the sealing because it can be easily removed when you want it gone.
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: George Tsoukalas on January 11, 2020, 07:47:40 am
 I assume it is osage. Carefully, drawknife it away. It looks like it is beginning to run off the edge. That is what I would do. Jawge
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: Eric Krewson on January 11, 2020, 08:54:18 am
Are there any darker streaks on the belly? looks like a wind shake to me.
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: razorsharptokill on January 11, 2020, 11:28:38 am
It is Osage and the guy I got the stave from removed the bark but didn't seal the back. Probably 10 years ago. It is probably about an inch at the narrowest point. I am still chasing the ring  on this stave.
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: Pat B on January 11, 2020, 12:47:38 pm
Even at 10 years the stave can check when new wood is revealed so seal it as you expose a new back ring.
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: bradsmith2010 on January 11, 2020, 02:08:09 pm
I still feel very optimistic that it will make a bow,, ,, however you decide to resolve the issue of the check,,
osage is amazing stuff,, if it was mine I would leave it wide and rawhide back,, but taking the check out would make just as good a bow,, pretty much your call,,
Title: Re: crack in back
Post by: Marc St Louis on January 11, 2020, 03:20:12 pm
I would also say it will make a bow.  I would do the crazy glue but also clamp it hard with a padded clamp at the split, sometimes you can get them to close up a bit that way.