Salvaging a bandsaw-destroyed board bow?

[Hunter Van Winkle]

So, I was working on a hickory board bow and I attempted to reduce thickness of the bow in one pass on the bandsaw. Well, if you've read the Traditional Bowyer Bibles, you will know that you should never attempt to reduce thickness of the bow in one pass on the bandsaw.

Following the thickness line on one side of the bow, the bandsaw cut way too deep on the other side.

So, I detatched the piece on the belly side and applied TB3 and clamped it.

My question is, can I back this pyramid hickory board bow with rawhide and expect it to function like a regular board bow once the glue is dried? It will kind of be like a rawhide backed hickory backed hickory, although uneven.

[ionicmuffin]

you can try, Iv'e found you learn more about bows as you go into unexplored waters(for you that is). And as you find out what works and what doesn't with different types of wood you will find you are more knowledgeable then you thought. My opinion would be to go ahead with what you think will work and be careful to wear eye protection. if it does break then whatever at least you didn't loose and eye and you learned that it doesn't work when you have lopsided glued limbs. so as i said, give it a go if you don't have anything better to do. you may find yourself having fun 

[Hunter Van Winkle]

I figure it should be fine. If anything, chrysals could form where the belly is glued together. I will heat temper the belly... Not sure how that will effect TB3. Experimentation time

[NruJaC]

You can try it, but the glue is designed to give up when heat is applied -- that's precisely how you detach things that got stuck together that you no longer want stuck together. So if you heat treat it, it'll pop right off. Of course, once it's treated, you can pop it right back on and you're good to go.

[mikekeswick]

DO NOT attempt to heat treat a glued bow...
When you heat it it will delaminate if you then tried to re-glue it the bond will be next to useless.
It sounds to me like it might be better to get another stave seasoning!

[sleek]

If you must heat treat it, do it only to the bit you cut off, then once done, glue it on. Maybe you could stick it in the oven for a bit? May have to cut it half to fit, but it may work, then reglue it all back togeather. Good luck...

[mikekeswick]

Sleek - TB3 requires perfect gluing surfaces. This isn't easy to achieve at the best of times. If you heat the cut off piece it will change shape. So you would end up having to re-face both pieces to match...
All these steps and an uncertain outcome....A new board will be cheaper and give you a bow you can trust.IMO

[sleek]

Agreed bud. But it sure is fun to play....

[k-hat]

If i was going to experiment in that, i'd leave the piece off and double temper the thin side to maybe even things up.  IMO the time you'll have to put into all that glueing prep ain't worth it.  You could get a hickory backing (murray gaskins has plenty, inexpensive too, search the web) and actually make a hbh, then by the time you've reduced the belly that piece you cut off would have been gone anywho.  My 1 cent worth

[hedgeapple]

I agree with k-hat, It would be much easier to glue on a hickory backing that it would be to try to glue the belly back on.  As alluded to earlier, TB III isn't very good at filling in gaps.  So it's unlikely that you'll get a very good glue line by trying to reglue the belly.

[osage outlaw]

Next time you use a bandsaw to reduce the limb thickness hold the bow at an angle leaving it thicker on the bottom side.  Flip it over and do the same thing to the other side of the limb.  You will be left with a ridge running down the belly of the limb which is easily removed with a rasp.

[Hunter Van Winkle]

Next time you use a bandsaw to reduce the limb thickness hold the bow at an angle leaving it thicker on the bottom side.  Flip it over and do the same thing to the other side of the limb.  You will be left with a ridge running down the belly of the limb which is easily removed with a rasp.

Yeah that's what I intended to do, but I did the exact opposite. mustve been tired.

[Pat B]

I'd say to set this one aside for posterity and start another one.
 Using a rasp to reduce thickness is way less apt to remove too much wood and you know right where you stand in the tillering process as you floor tiller the bow. Short cuts usually end up with bad results...at least for me they do. 

[SLIMBOB]

Same here.  I don't use a band saw for reducing the belly.  To apt to ruin one in a heart beat.  To take wood off quickly, I will make saw cuts into the belly, perpendicular to the back as though I am going to cut the limb off, just to the depth I want to start tillering from.  Make cuts about every 10 inches or so, with the last cut right at the fade.  Take a chisel and small sledge and separate at the growth ring.  I've done this with multiple types of wood.  Pops right off along or very close to the ring you choose.  Flat ring only!   

[Hunter Van Winkle]

Thats a great idea SLIME BOB. Going to give that a shot sometime.