Need help with compression fractures!!!

[missilemaster]

Hey guys,
                 I need your input. I just finished up a buckthorn bow that I am giving to a friend. Its 58# @ their draw length and shoots great. I was shooting it a bit this morning and noticed some small compression fractures around a hole in the upper limb. While building the bow, I was a little concerned about this area because of a splinter  that ran into the hole when the stave was split forced me to go a tad deep to get most of it out. The area does not appear to hinge when braced and drawn. I want to deal with this issue while the fractures are still tiny, is there anything I can do ? Any advice would be appreciated!! thanks

                                                               Cody

[PEARL DRUMS]

Thats a tough one. I would wrap it with silk thread and glue. Its already naturally too weak there, you can see the deflex. I see no other suitable fix myself. Wraps will tighten a weak area up, Ive done it in the past on osage.

[Del the cat]

Like Pearl says, but maybe you could plug the hole with sawdust epoxy mix, it might just stiffen/support up that section a tad?... you'd have to make that call yourself.
The other problem is, if you over siffen that area the damn chrysals may well pop up somewhere elso on the limb
Del
(BTW On no account sand down the raised ridges of the fractures, it will just weaken it further.)

[missilemaster]

Thats a tough one. I would wrap it with silk thread and glue. Its already naturally too weak there, you can see the deflex. I see no other suitable fix myself. Wraps will tighten a weak area up, Ive done it in the past on osage.

Pearl, the deflex you refer to is part of the character of the limb- it was already there. 

[Pappy]

How is the tiller look,I always leave areas stiff around knots for that reason, I would hate to plug the hole [last option] , the only one that would really worry me much would be the one crossing the limb. Rapping is about the only solution or fill it with glue,mark it and see if it gets worse,it may not move much more. Is the owner drawing it as far as you are ? you are a pretty long armed old boy.
   Pappy

[druid]

I wouldn't touch anything if it not become larger. I do not remember did I saw this nice bow in some topic..?!

[missilemaster]

How is the tiller look,I always leave areas stiff around knots for that reason, I would hate to plug the hole [last option] , the only one that would really worry me much would be the one crossing the limb. Rapping is about the only solution or fill it with glue,mark it and see if it gets worse,it may not move much more. Is the owner drawing it as far as you are ? you are a pretty long armed old boy.
   Pappy

Pappy,  I am drawing it to his draw length!  Would it work to fill the hole with some type of epoxy? I am not worried about chryssals popping up elsewhere on the limb if I do, buck thorn is very good in compression.

[missilemaster]

I wouldn't touch anything if it not become larger. I do not remember did I saw this nice bow in some topic..?!

 No Druid, this bow is brand spankin' new!!! Though my buckthorn supply is getting mighty low, I think I will have to go on a wood hunt soon. I LOVE buckthorn!!!
 

[PEARL DRUMS]

The more I think about it the less I think any wrap would work with that knot. Shoot it until it collapses and build your buddy another. For an experiment you could overfill the knot with 2 ton epoxy, then wrap it tight with silk thread and glue. Of course all that weight on one tip will probably feel like a jack hammer.

[randman]

Another option to fill the hole might be to glue a dowel completely through it. Plugging it tight with wood would probably add lateral support along the length/depth of the hole. I don't think filling it with sawdust and/or epoxy would add any support and I can't see how wrapping by itself it would add support as if it is going to bend/break over it would do it across the width of the limb which would be just to bend between the wrappings. The only way I see wrapping helping would be if you added some sort of splint/stiffener under the wrapping on the belly side. JMHO

[Badger]

  I don't think it will give you any problem, not unusual to see minor chrysaling around a hard knot hole. If the tiller looks ok and the chrsals dont go all the way across the limb I wouldn't worry too much.

[H Rhodes]

I'd shoot that sucker till it blows up or impresses me.... 

[Del the cat]

... to glue a dowel completely through it. Plugging it tight with wood would probably add lateral support along the length/depth of the hole. I don't think filling it with sawdust and/or epoxy would add any support ...

A dowel will add support, but an epoxy sawdust mix won't?
Errrr If you glue the dowel in with epoxy it is just an extremely coarse wood epoxy mix. So no difference there then
Del

[crooketarrow]

  I you have been shooting the bow a while the factures are as big as they'll get. ,As long as you don't over draw the bow, over stressing the fracture area more it will likely stay the same. Only thing you could do is lighten the bow. This way that over stressed area will have less stress on it. Keeping compression factures from getting any bigger.

[vinemaplebows]

       First is buckthorn the same as Cascara? I would strip the finish, heat slightly, add superglue while keeping a slight amount of heat on it with a heat gun.


Brian