bow exploded!!

[swimbill]

I was working on a hickory board bow this week, it was going along fine although i came out too light.  To beef it up I added a 1/4 hickory backing and reflexed it about 3".  I worked it down to desired draw weight of 50# at 29 inches and then BANG! the backing blew off and one of the nock overlays came with it.  Thankfully I was not over it when it went.  Th bow didnt break but it now has about 4" of set on each limb.  What did I do wrong, any help would be appreciated.

[Dano]

What glue did you use?

[Pat B]

we need pics!!!

[radius]

probly would've worked better with 1/8th backing

[swimbill]

Elmers carpenter glue, the yellow stuff.  Sorry no pic's yet maybe tomorrow.

[radius]

HM... the yellow glue should'a been fine...maybe the pieces of wood weren't well mated? 

[swimbill]

I thought they were, nothing broke could I re-glue it and gve it another try?  Maybe reduce the thickness of the backing, and not put in as much reflex.

[Ryano]

Was the hickory core to wet or something? if it took that much set something is wrong.....How long did you let the glue cure before retillering? and was it exposed to any heat?

[Dano]

I'd get some Tite Bond II or III, I don't care for elmers. The wood will break before Tite Bond ever lets go.

[Pat B]

I'm with Ryan. Too much moisture. If you don't give the glue-up plenty of time to expel the moisture it received from the glue there was too much moisture in the wood. Hickory is especially susceptible to picking up and retaining moisture.
  I snake skin backed an osage bow and 2 days later, even though if felt dry, the bow had gone from 56#@26" to 40#@26" and felt and shot like a noodle. A week later, it was back to normal.

[Del the cat]

shot like a noodle.

 
Yeah, those foodstuff bows are useless, mind you, my Spaghetti bow is ok for hunting meatballs 
Del

[J05H]

  LMAO That's great. What do you use for arrows? Breadsticks?

[George Tsoukalas]

swimbill, in my early days, I went though the same thing. Under weight bows galore! Spending hours trying to "beef" them up. All to no avail. It was my inexperience that caused them. I should have chalked it up as a learning experience and reached for another stave. LOL. That's what you should have done. That's how we learn. Forget about it and move on to another. Jawge

[swimbill]

it appears as if I didnt let it dry long enough, less than a day and it is humid as heck here in RI.  Thanks for the help, will start another new one.
swimbill

[M-P]

Looking back I see my early, underweight bows as great learning experiences.  I also like the motto "Fix em until they break!"   ( I can't remember who first proposed that phrase, sorry.)  At least one of my early bows turned out to be my best, but only after piking, recurving the tips, sinew backing and then years later, heat treating the belly, retillering  and then reworking the handle.  A twenty pound stick eventually became a stable 45# bow.  I think you should keep working on it as long as you feel you've got a chance.   Ron