Two failures in 5 min. pic heavy.

[lebhuntfish]

I have been working back and forth on two red oak board bows that I cut out of the same board from Lowe's. The board had perfectly straight grain all the way around. One bow was a mallagabet style with dog bone rawhide on it. The other was a flat bow design with FG cloth on it. (Sorry about the FG) both boys ended up with the bottom limb from the same end of the board. I had the flat bow tillered and had shot about 50 plus arrows out of it. The mallagabet was in the tiller process and was having some trouble with it but had it to full draw and had shot it about 10 times while working on a bad hand shock. The mallagabet was pulling 43lbs at 28" and the flat bow was 38lbs at 25" and tillered to 28" at 41lbs.  I broke the flat bow drawing it, and broke the molly stringing it.

I will be honest  on both bows I had trouble with them bending more closer to the handle fades when I started. I am a novice at bow building but I wondered if the board had a week spot in it because they both broke at the exact same spot. I'm posting some pics, any comments or advice would be appreciated, thanks Patrick.

 

 

 

 


 
 

[adb]

It's no wonder the mollie broke where it did, judging by the full draw pic on the tiller.  It's doing all the bending right there. Those big long levers are putting an enormous amount of pressure right on that hinge.

[lebhuntfish]

Your right adb, it's funny when you put pictures side by side what you will see that you didn't see with your eye.  I will admit that my tillering needs some work, but I'm still learning. I can say that I got my first shooter, but not my first finished and shot in bow.

[bow101]

Look at Bubbys build-a-longs.......... I think he uses boards that are at least 2" wide for a good pyramid design.

[PAHunter]

Personally I'm not a fan of mollys (ducking from incoming fire).  As a realtively new bowyer myself I like to use the entire limb of the bow.  When you make a molly with large stiff limbs you are essentially reducing the working limb to a much shorter area.  and taking on much greater risk of breaking.  in your draw pics it's clear a realtively small portion of hte limbs are doing all the work.  thus increased risk of breaks.  I'll be unpopular and say screw mollys.  new bowyers should make longbows and use the entire limb.  the outter 8'' don't usually bend anyway, which is desirable.  Just one bowyer's 2c. 

[adb]

I totally agree. Making a mollie is not a great first (or beginner) bow.

[lebhuntfish]

Thanks guy's, not sure about the molly's but I will be making more long bows before I try a molly again.

[DarkSoul]

I agree on the Mollegabet aspect, but that flatbow actually looks pretty nicely tillered. It bends fairly evenly and has a lowish draw weight. I see no obvious reason why it should break. The grain looks straight to me and the FG (spits on floor) clearly didn't stop it from breaking in tension. Perhaps the corners could have been rounded some more, but I doubt that is the reason why it broke.
It could have been a flaw in the board. You never know what has happened to a tree before it ended up in Lowe's. It's always better to have all aspects of drying and processing wood in your own hands and cut your own trees. But red oak boards can still make fine bows. Perhaps this board had some dry rot, or a crack that formed when the tree was felled. You'll never know.
Go back to Lowe's and buy a new board of red oak. Make a new flat bow will similar specs as the one that broke, minus the FG.

[Hrothgar]

Sorry about the breaking, stuff happens. I agree with with  DS the tiller looks pretty good on the flat bow, but in the side-by-side pix there  doesn't appear to be much taper down the limb. Better luck on the next one!

[Del the cat]

Personally I'm not a fan of mollys (ducking from incoming fire).  As a realtively new bowyer myself I like to use the entire limb of the bow.  When you make a molly with large stiff limbs you are essentially reducing the working limb to a much shorter area.  and taking on much greater risk of breaking.  in your draw pics it's clear a realtively small portion of hte limbs are doing all the work.  thus increased risk of breaks.  I'll be unpopular and say screw mollys.  new bowyers should make longbows and use the entire limb.  the outter 8'' don't usually bend anyway, which is desirable.  Just one bowyer's 2c. 

I'm with you, I've only been building bows for about 55 years, and I can't see any great reason to build a Molly, ok I'll do one sometime just to show I can, but the concept seems slightly flawed to me. Certainly not a bow for a newbie to try IMO.
If I had one, I'd be thinking "Lets lighten those levers until they just start bending a tad and contributing to the draw"
For a newbie, I think learning to get the whole limb working and sharing the load is the start point.
No incoming fire from me.
Del

[blackhawk]

Welcome to the real world of bow making...

And I'll just "try" n shake my head in silence at those who don't like mollys even tho they've never made one...kinda like saying one doesn't like ice cream but never tried it    ....sure its not wise for a newby to try,but the design is def not flawed,and if done right has just as much surface area working as a normal bow whose limbs utilize the whole length...ya just make the working limbs wider is all to compensate....and I could go on n on about the pros and many benefits of these designs that far outweigh any cons(which the only one is that newbys not try em) but I won't 

[Del the cat]

Ooooh ooooh... don't you shake your head at me in that tone of voice  
I didn't say I don't Like 'em...  just didn't wanna make one ... yet.
Del

[blackhawk]

Well maybe its time to try some of that ice cream then ... .. 

[ohma2]

You tillered that bow well looks like it was just over strained wood.dont give up get yourself a good stave and go at it again.dont make them bend so much in the inner part of the limb.its not good practice to leave your bows stretched out on the tree either wood bow drawn is three quarters broke.

[George Tsoukalas]

I'd go with a bend in the handle bow...1 3/8 in along the board out to mid limb narrowing to 1/2 in nocks...3/4 thick...no glued on pieces...let the handle bend.

The potential for 45# is there provided the crafting  is good. Simple design for the beginner.

Directions are on my site. They show 1.5 wide which could be good for 50-55#.

I do see some run out in that break. Also, that type of break on a board is pretty indicative of grain run out. May  suggest some pictures of your next board so we can look at the grain with you?

I  never built  a mollie but if  were  to try the design I'd need a board with perfectly straight grain.

Jawge