A splice badly cut, a newbie tip

[Eric Krewson]

I had some matched billets that I needed to splice, one billet had twist in three different directions so I cut the splice to level the back of the first section of twist. Boy did I get a sloppy cut on my bandsaw, I had several large gaps when I tried to fit the two billets together.

I have talked to people who were afraid to try to splice billets together for fear that they would mess up the cut.

A splice cut doesn't have to be too precise if you have a heat gun. On this sloppy cut I heated the cut prongs to the "I can't touch them" stage, fitted them together without glue, put three C clamps om the splice and torqued them down, when they cooled, I had a perfect fit.

All the old guys already know this tip so I posted it for the new guys. I drew my splice on a piece of paper first and glued the pattern to each billet, the example in the picture is on slats for a future bamboo osage bow. I just noticed one of the slats is a salvaged limb from a broken bow that already had a glued-up splice in it. Bamboo covered up this extra splice on the back and a glued-on handle covered it up on the belly.

 

[bownarra]

I'm sure that will help some people out.
Another tip to do with the layout and fit is to not have the 'points' going to a point....make the 'points' 1mm / 1/16th" wide. Saw kerf and all that. At 'the other end' make your male section at its widest 1mm bigger than the female at the same point.
People always seem to try and make them 'match' perfectly - no need if you follow the 'squeeze fit' advice
when you make them like this you don't even need clamps...if you are that way inclined.

[Eric Krewson]

I have spliced enough billets for over 100 bows and pretty much have it down.

One thing that surprises me is when people think they need to put dowels through the splice sideways to "reinforce the splice". I actually did this on my first splice or two 26 years ago, the wood cracked at the dowels.

I only make 3 1/2" splices to better hide the splice under the handle leather, in all the splices bows I have made I have never had a splice fail.

[gutpile]

Ive only done a few splices and never put a dowel in a splice either.. bowyers bible suggest that you put a dowel in splice probably where it started..gut

[superdav95]

Great info Eric.  I’ll be needing this for a couple of matching yew billets I’m gonna tackle.  Thanks.  I like the tip of keeping splices at 3.5”.  Good stuff. 

[Will B]

Thank you for this information, Eric. I have a bunch of Osage billets I plan to splice up. I’ve only ever done one splice. Very timely and helpful!

[Piddler]

Gonna have to attempt this myself one day so thanks for putting it out there. Eric what is your glue of choice.
Piddler

[bownarra]

I have spliced enough billets for over 100 bows and pretty much have it down.

One thing that surprises me is when people think they need to put dowels through the splice sideways to "reinforce the splice". I actually did this on my first splice or two 26 years ago, the wood cracked at the dowels.

I only make 3 1/2" splices to better hide the splice under the handle leather, in all the splices bows I have made I have never had a splice fail.

Probably done a few more than that myself The trick with being an expert is realizing you don't know it all....and never will. Keeping an open mind facilitates learning. Nobody knows everything. I prefer 3 3/4"
People who think they need a dowel to re-enforce a splice are beginners that don't know better yet. Beginners generally don't know it all yet It is actually a good state of mind to be in - it leaves you open to learning things....

[Eric Krewson]

I used Unibond  for glue, good glue but not as good as the old Urac 185.

[Badger]

One thing I started doing several years ago on billets with too much crown is that I build up the back with something like flour dough or even dry wall mud and then grind it flat before I glue on my template. I know that urac and epoxies are stronger, but I have gotten by just using tightbond 90% of the time.

[WhistlingBadger]

Great advice, Eric.  I've never done a splice, but I'm going to try another juniper/sinew bow this winter, and long bits of juniper are rare as hen's lips.  So it might come in handy.  Heat can do some amazing things.

[Eric Krewson]

I have spliced a new limb to the handle of a broken bow a number of times and glued on the pattern on each part exactly as it was. I file the excess wood down to the former bows handle profile.

Here is an example;

[Eric Krewson]

I should have added this picture of the broken bow's handle before I cut a splice.