Learn from doing

[bow101]

  Was finishing a bow today and snapped a 3rd. one. Oh well like everyone says ya learn from building, "Right"...?
I know where I'am going wrong, just got to hasty with tillering, Was pulling to 16 inches about 30 times it sort of looked good then i decided to pull it at 18 inches, that's when i heard a very faint crack.
Pulled it again to 18 and she broke....(((((But that was after re doing the brace height, i had it strung at 2 inches, then I braced it at a full 6 inches. So pulling at 18 was like pulling at 20 inches from the start..!!!))))))

I felt like Freaking, it was looking so good, laminated fir and maple. I do agree the fir is on the splintery side but with all variables in question it was not that bad.
At any rate i heard other bowyers snapping at 10-12 bows before building a succesfull bow that shot well and lasted. I will contunue to persevere..........

[sharpend60]

They break sometimes.

Thats all there is too it.

But, it is frustrating at times.

[fishfinder401]

what combo was the maple and fir? ( back, belly)

[bow101]

The maple was slightly tapered and in the center, 5 lams total stack of .390.
The bow broke in the handle section. Did not have enough taper for starters.

what combo was the maple and fir? ( back, belly)

[fishfinder401]

ok, i personally would have put the fir in the middle, and done a tri-lam with a maple belly and back,i also don't really see a need for 5 lams,but i guess it couldn't hurt

[bow101]

I used 5 lams to get the thickness, the lams were all cut at the same dimension. Just using what I had.
But yaaa next bow will be a Tri-Lam for sure.

[fishfinder401]

could you maybe post some pictures, im curious what the break looked like

[Del the cat]

Never never never make two changes at once!
If you increase the brace, then don't change the draw or poundage applied.
It doesn't hurt to even go back a bit, so if you go up to full brace then only pull to a lower poundage or length just to see what the effect has been.

I don't s'pose any bows have been ruined by going too slow.
Del

[bubby]

del is right, one thing i do is when i get to full brace, i put it in a corner and leave it set for a couple a hours before i do anything, let it sweat so to speak, Bub

[JW_Halverson]

I don't s'pose any bows have been ruined by going too slow.
Del

So says the guy that has never lost a pile of staves to powder post beetles!!!   

[bow101]

I like the idea of letting 'er sweat in the corner, makes sense, I'll have to try that Bub

fishfinder401, I have no photos, bow was cut into pieces and thrown in garbage. 

del is right, one thing i do is when i get to full brace, i put it in a corner and leave it set for a couple a hours before i do anything, let it sweat so to speak, Bub

[Del the cat]

I don't s'pose any bows have been ruined by going too slow.
Del

So says the guy that has never lost a pile of staves to powder post beetles!!!   

I beg to differ old bean! I've had some bug eaten Yew specially sent over from Oregon    I was so infuriated I had to flex my little finger and say tut tut!
I've had to saw off the sapwood and I'll try bamboo backing.
Also wondered about a backing of Hazel sapling eh? eh? What does the team think of that idea.
Del

[JW_Halverson]

I completely forgot about that sad experience you had with the Oregon yew!  Sad indeed. 

Don't give up 101...sooner or later you gotta get one shooting!

[_Jon_]

Visit the Tennessee Classic, they got fella's that can assist ya in making a bow let me tell ya.   

Keep at it, bow building is like anything else.  More ya work at it the better ya get.

Keep at it friend.

[bow101]

  Oh hey I hear you guys, this is something I took up about 6 months ago. Just going at it real slow is all.
Have been woodworking for about 7 years, just wish I would of taken up building bows at that time. I think by now I would be turning out some actuall working bows.
It's never to late, I have been bitten by the bug I shall continue.