The worst happened!! Pics added!

[lesken2011]

I have had my hbi trade bow finished for a couple of weeks, now except for finishing touches and final shooting in. I had put about 100 arrows through it. I had to go out of town to meet some family up in Tennessee and thought I would take it and let my son see it before it was mailed and help me finish shooting it in with another 100 shots or so. It was only my 6th bow and the first adult heavy bow and I was excited about the way it turned out and he has never seen any of the bows I made since he lives out of town. The good news is he got to shoot a bow his dad made....the bad news is....while I was putting shot 165 or so through it a large splinter raised up on the hickory back that runs down the middle of the limb and one side to the handle wrap. It separated cleanly from the ipe for about 6 inches. I don't know if heat had anything to do with it or if it was a poor glue job to start with. There was a little swirl in the grain of the hickory in that area I was worried about and sure enough....that's where it happened.

I know I can no longer send this as my trade bow, but would love to save it. I can't upload pics, right now, since I am on my laptop in a motel. I will upload pics tomorrow. In the meantime I'm curious whether I should re-glue with TB3 or a gap filling glue or saturate with superglue and wrap the splinter. This bow was shooting so good, I hated to part with it. Well, if I can save it, maybe I can keep it after all.

As far as my trade bow goes, I have a backup hbo that is floor tillered that I should still be able to get out on time.

[Pat B]

If you used TBIII you can heat up the backing and the glue will release at 150deg.  I'd start at the tip and heat it until you can get a blade of wood chisel between the back and belly. Continue on down the limb to the handle then start at the other end and do the same until the backing is removed. Clean off the glue and add another hickory backing.  I have made quite a few HBI bows and used TBIII with good results with all.  If you work it out you should be able to get your bow out by the deadline or shortly after. 

[lesken2011]

Thanks, Pat. I have some really great hickory and a new band saw. That is probably just what I need to do. The bow had taken about 1.5" of set right after shooting and settling to about an inch. Couldn't I glue in a little reflex to offset that...since I'm having to redo the backing anyway?

[Pat B]

Yes you can. Not too much though. A few(2" to 3") inches will do.

[Josh B]

Bummer.  I hope you can save it.  Josh

[lesken2011]

Thanks, Pat & Josh. Pat...I don't really want to have to tiller one with a lot of reflex, so I will keep it to a minimum. Just enough to be flat when unstrung, I hope. Should I do a smooth arc from the handle or just flip the tips?


I guess this could turn out to be a good thing. There were a couple of blemishes that showed up when I put the finish on that I can now smooth out.

[blackhawk]

Welcome to the reality of bowyering 

Actually you were quite spared,and it easily couldve been worse and broke the ipe belly as well,and woodve been unsalvageable. Did it look like you had enough glue in that area? Did you starve that spot? I wood make sure i knew for sure what went wrong,so that you learn from your mistake/why it broke so you dont repeat it again.

Putting up some pics wood help tremendously in diagnosing what happened,instead of you just guessing.

[lesken2011]

I didn't try to pry the hickory back far enough to see for sure, but It looked awfully clean at the separation. Once I get this back off, I should be able to tell for sure. I should be back in town this afternoon and will be able to upload pics.

[Badly Bent]

Sorry to hear that. I have no experience with laminations so have no advice to offer but it looks like your getting some sound pointers from the other more experienced guys. I believe your going to be able to salvage that one and probably will turn out to be a better bow in the end. Good luck.
Greg

[lesken2011]

OK guys...I hope you don't mind, but I am going to add a few pics I took for posting prior to sending out.


Here are a few pics of the bow...That young fellow modeling the bow is my son who is in the Marine Corps.




















Then....after 165 shots, or so....











Now what do you guys think. I have some straight grained hickory and maple for a new back. If you think it is possible to salvage it with a repair, I have an hbo I can send as my trade bow instead. If you guys will give me your opinions, now that you have seen pics, I will sleep on it tonight and make my decision. Friday is my deadline for mailing.

[JW_Halverson]

That's a boatload of crack, buddy!  I doubt even Lindsay Lohan could handle that much!  Force as much good quality wood glue into it as you can, wrap with sinew and and do a smoke test.  Also known as TTD...Test To Death. 

By the way, that is a pretty handsome model ya got there.  No wonder Al Qauida hates us.  Props to the kid and to the parents that raised him well. 

[lesken2011]

Thanks, JW! His mom and I are very proud of him.

So you think wood glue instead of super glue? By good quality you mean TB3?

[Elktracker]

Looks like it was a nice bow! I agree with Pat, I would try to remove the old backing and reglue another one on with about 2" of reflex. Reflex isnt hard to tiller, it is mostly the same especially if you dont have allot of humps bumps stwists and turns.

 It looks like from the picture there was some possible run off where it failed. If you have a straight grained piece of hick I would use that or just abandon it and go with the bow you have floor tillered. I am sure your recipient wont mind waiting a little bit longer     Sorry about that I had my first attempt fail as well!

Josh

[lesken2011]

Yeah, Blackhawk. There was a little swirl in the grain that showed up farther down in the board when I cut this backing. I thought I could get away with it, but live and learn. I already have a new backing cut. Tomorrow I will try to get the old one off, re-sand the surfaces, and glue the new one on with a little reflex. Thanks for the feedback.

[H Rhodes]

Doggone Kenny!  That was a fine looking bow.  I don't know too much about laminated bows, so I can't say anything much to help.  I will say that it looks like y'all raised a fine young man.  I know that you must be very proud.  Good luck with the repair job.