Author Topic: Belly Cracks in Osage Stave (Read 4160 times)

Staver · « **on:** June 10, 2009, 10:17:39 am »

I've been working on a challenging osage stave riddled with belly cracks. It's 68" ttt and so far I have been tillering with a long string to about 18" and it's about 50#; I'd like to get it to 60# at 28". The tillering is slow and steady so I don't over stress it in any one area. The stave has about 1 1/2" of natural reflex and I was hoping these cracks would dissappear as I got closer to final tiller. I was also hoping I could flip the tips a little but I'm afraid to heat it due to the cracks. One of the cracks looks like it might be very faint on the bow's back.

Am I right in thinking that I should avoid any heating and should I put some sort of backing on this bow? Thanks for any help - Joe H

Here's some pics of the limbs:

[attachment deleted by admin]

Pappy · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2009, 11:06:09 am »

Do they go all the way through ? I have seen this before lots of time and as long as they don't run off the edge they most likely won't give ant trouble. I have heated and flipped the tip on stave's like that without trouble.If they go all the way through fill with super glue and clamp then Carrie on. I have backed some before ,but it was mainly just to cover them up and not because I was worried about them breaking. Good luck and keep us posted.

Pappy

nugget · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2009, 12:49:48 pm »

Two of the cracks on the bottom limb is close to the edge. I would be carefull with it. The crack on the upper limb looks ok. I agree with what Pappt said and watch the ones that run off the edge or close to them.

Staver · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2009, 01:22:29 pm »

Thanks Pappy, Do you think I should use a heat gun or steam to flip the tips?

Thanks nugget, steady as she goes!

I'll keep everyone posted!

Joe H

Staver · « **Reply #4 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:39:01 pm »

I heated the bottom limb with a heat gun for about 12 minutes then I put it on the caul. It's cooling off right now and I don't think any harm was done

When it cools I'll do the other limb and see how it turns out.

The Burnt Hill Archer · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:46:26 pm »

i had some cracks like thoes in my osage/hickory bow i just finished up. they wernt quite that bad, but what i did was just run thin superglue into them, let it dry and repeat untill the crack is filled. i havnt had any problems with them yet, and ive pulled it at least 1000 times on the tree and sent at least 100 arrows through it. osage is some pretty strong stuff.

Phil

Staver · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2009, 05:21:27 pm »

Someday's you're the windshield and someday's you're the bug... the bottom limb, the worse limb, the limb that I was really worried about went great. The top limb, the limb that I had no doubt nothing would go wrong... we'll... I got a transverse crack and splintered up on the belly when I went to bend it!

I didn't have the belly on the top limb scraped down to a common growth ring. I guess that's why I'm the bug right now!!

I still might be able to salvage it, but I might loose some weight in the process. Steady as she goes

Thanks Phil, I hope I get the chance to fill these cracks in with some superglue!! Joe H

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2009, 05:24:34 pm »

I don't see any cracks. Are they running with the grain? I wouldn't flip the tips if the belly is compromised but I'm cautious. Jawge

Staver · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2009, 06:04:29 pm »

Hi Jawge,

The cracks are the dark lines running with the grain. both limbs have very prominant cracks from checking. The transverse crack that I created while turning the top limb tip isn't posted. I just made it. Woulda Coulda Shoulda... I shoulda been more conservative!!

I'm learnin!!

Joe H

Pappy · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2009, 06:30:53 am »

Unless it cracked bad,it might be alright,most times it will just pull up the last grain and you can file/sand it out if you have enough wood.I never bend them that way.I mount it to the jig ,then start heating the last 6/8 inchens of the tip and as it heats up gradually start bending with a clamp the very tip till I get it down,going very slow,I must have a hotter gun because it don't take near that
long for me to get it hot enough to bend,maybe a couple of minutes.

It's not a bad idea to get
it to one ring on the belly when you are going to bend,but unless I plan on a very heavy bend I usually don't.

but I do leave a little extra wood.

Pappy

Staver · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2009, 09:45:24 am »

Thanks for the Hot tips Pappy

I think I'll have enough wood because like you said, I think the crack I made only went about 1/8" or so. I'll keep you posted on my progress. Thanks again

Joe H

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:35:14 am »

I see, Joe. Those are the cracks. Go easy. They look like they are running off the limb. Put the heat gun away. Lock it up and give someone the key. Tell them not to give you back the key no matter how hard you beg. I've cracked them while bending too. I wrapped it and put it on the shelf. It was hop hornbeam.

Jawge

Staver · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2009, 05:40:48 pm »

I tried Jawge!! I gave the key to my kids; thought for sure I'd never see em again!!

Then the keys came back, I plugged in the gun, and CRACK... goes the weasel!! I'm learnin!!

Thanks Jawge... I still might be able to get a bow from this stave yet... I'll keep ya posted.

Joe H

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #13 on:** June 11, 2009, 06:41:10 pm »

LOL, Staver, heating and bending is fine but I tend to not do it if there's a problem with the stave. I'm not saying that the belly cracks caused the bending crack. That was caused by a totally different issue. I'm learning too. Jawge

woodstick · « **Reply #14 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:29:26 pm »

i made a bow for Jay StCharles out of osage that was 13 years old and it had some cracks in it and it made a fine bow. Jay shoots it and has had no trouble at all with it.

Primitive Archer