Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: AtomicWrangler on October 14, 2020, 04:22:21 am

Title: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: AtomicWrangler on October 14, 2020, 04:22:21 am

Bengkirai board just arrived all cracked and chewed up by bugs, probably those borer beetles. I mean it was a very cheap piece of board and i'm on a tight budget but i didn't expect the board to be this badly damaged, you get what you pay for i guess :(. The major crack runs with the grain while the holes run across the grains. Atleast this board doesn't have any knots, that's one of the good thing from this board.

(https://ibb.co/TtFP2w7)
(https://ibb.co/cJyZK5P)
(https://ibb.co/MShWPmV)
(https://ibb.co/tmHzfn5)
(hope the images appear)

So what do you guys think? should i try fill the holes and cracks or just use this board for other non-bow related projects? and will this thing blow up on me? hah ;)


BTW the dimension of this plank is 105x7x1.5 cm and I wish to make a Hupa style boardbow like the one shown in TBB 1, it will be backed with sinew once I got some in hand

Thanks in advance

Title: Re: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: AtomicWrangler on October 14, 2020, 04:29:16 am

heres the pics

Title: Re: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: Pat B on October 14, 2020, 07:36:49 am

I wouldn't waste my time with it. Too many problems.

Title: Re: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: Eric Krewson on October 14, 2020, 07:43:23 am

Here is what those type of beetles do under the wood surface, your wood is toast.

Title: Re: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: Santanasaur on October 14, 2020, 08:40:59 am

If you’re lucky the tunnels will all get removed in the rough out. It’s hard to know how deep they go,  some of them often take a sharp turn and burrow deep in the stave. I guess I’d try it out if it was all I had. I’ve made a few bows with bug tunnels in the limbs but have a hard time trusting them

Title: Re: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: gutpile on October 14, 2020, 03:11:12 pm

Can always use it for handle overlays and such but I wouldn’t build a bow .. that looks bad not just bugs but the cracks too ... gut

Title: Re: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: George Tsoukalas on October 14, 2020, 03:50:01 pm

Not good. Jawge

Title: Re: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: Digital Caveman on October 14, 2020, 04:48:27 pm

Is there enough clean wood to get a pair of billets?

Title: Re: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: bradsmith2010 on October 14, 2020, 04:52:44 pm

ill almost try anything, but unless you can scrape off the bug tunnels,, I think it might not be a good bow wood

Title: Re: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: AtomicWrangler on October 15, 2020, 01:11:03 am

thank you guys for the feedback! it's a shame really, i got inspired by a dude that manage to make a mollegabet bow out of bengkirai/balau, that's what i get for buying cheap boards online :(.

Erik Krewson, Santanasaur and tradcraftsman, the bug holes in the pic doesn't go through the wood so i may be able to just scrape off that side to get a nice clean wood, the other small holes that does go through the wood i'll just have to superglue em and hope for the best.

Thanks

Title: Re: Cracked and bug-Holed board, salvageable?
Post by: scp on October 15, 2020, 09:45:11 am

The stave is way too short for a Mollegabet bow. You can probably v-splice tips to make it much longer.