I clamped it up over a suitable round metal bending form. I wet it well and let it sit clamped up until the tension on the clamps eased. I heated the form and wet the wood again. When I started to tighten up again, It snapped clean where it was cantilevered over the form. I got into a hurry and tried to make a 3 day bend in one and learned a lesson. Once I square it up and re-tiller it, it will be 70 inches instead of the the 75 it was. That pretty much puts the end to the re-curve experiment with this one. I may clamp up a board and spend a month or so bending the re-curves in slowly to see how well it bends using that method without the hurry before I shape the bow out of it just to see it if it will work easier than boiling and the other things I am reading here.
I did not get out to the local Ace to buy the titebond hide glue today. Maybe tomorrow!
When you build a pond, you cut a keyway in the ground under the dam to interrupt the water flowing through the ground at that point. You can put the same dirt right back and pack it in place after you cut the keyway. All you are doing is breaking up what was there and putting it back tight enough to stop water from going under the dam.
I am thinking the same way with the red oak on red oak. I figure the cut and then the different grain from the original board should provide a good backing and make both pieces stronger than one piece of the same dimensions. Adding a layer of silk between them I don't know about. I don't know if I would be building in a flaw with the silk between them or if I would be making the bow much more secure when flexed. I am hoping someone here will be able to answer that. Adding a silk backing over the red oak backing is a very real option also I guess.
Anyway, I think I am learning as I go! Some times I am known to be wrong on what I think makes sense!
The brace height is not as high as it was when the bow was 79.5 inches. I don't know the actual figure since I shortened it 4 inches. The long string is still on the bow. I just tied knots in the middle of the string as I began to bend the bow. After I shortened it, it would throw an arrrow pretty well from a full draw. Still not much if you don't bend it pretty good. After I square the broken limb and shorten the other tomorrow, I will see how how the tiller is again!
Have a beautiful evening!!
