Two failures in 5 min. pic heavy.

[Bogaman]

Limb width looks to narrow, looking at the pictures you've shown here. Also, to much straight, not enough bendy ;^)

[kleinpm]

It might be any of the things listed above, and it might be that the board sucked. Even though the board has straight lines there could be hidden flaws in the wood. There is a lot of potential for lumber to get damaged between when its cut to when its being stocked on the shelves.

I have had some wood with hidden flaws and there was no way to tell until it broke. Thankfully, it seems to be relatively rare in bows made from either boards and staves.

Patrick

[lebhuntfish]

You guys all make very valid points. I will try again. That flat bow was an 1/1/2" wide with the fades 15" from the end to 1/2" tips. Both bows were followed from a build along on you tube. Boarrior bows. Anyways I think it had something to do with my tillering. Thinking about it I was kinda rough with them.  I would read post on here about tiller, sometimes even responses to my post.  Then say to myself, well don't do that again, that guy said that what I was doing is bad for your bow. So I have learned a lot from you all. And hopefully some day I can contribute to PA instead of just ask questions. Thank you all for all of your support. I'm sure I will be posting some more questions on here. I have an Osage stave with sinew on it right now to start working on again in a couple week's. Thanks all, Patrick.

[huisme]

Questions are some of the best contributions here

I agree that a molle isn't a great beginner bow. I've seen people do it for their first, and I have only ever broken a molle because of a bad saw-- but those people don't seem to make the molle completely mollegabet-like with thick levers and three inch wide working limbs, and I didn't try until my tenth bow and got lucky enough with my first to get it down pretty well.

Molles are my favorite bow to make. I can rough and tiller them much faster than I do other bows because I'm comfortable working the shorter working limb and refining the levers with my machete, where with flatbows I tend to switch to my rasp with a whole eighth inch to remove before I hit my target weight and the outer limbs are too stiff

I don't know for sure if cited mass efficiency actually translates to better performance, but it makes sense. those levers, when worked properly, are lighter than working limb would have been, so they should offer less resistance when the inner limb does the work of a full limb, and that aught to translate to higher arrow speed-- I think

I do know for sure a good flatbow or pyramid is great better for learning to tiller, and tiller is way more important than crunching mass efficiency. Drink some milk and grow a bit before taking the ice cream 

[lebhuntfish]

Thanks huisme, I appreciate your outlook on this. And from what I've seen from this forum is that we all work together and obtain a common goal. Patrick

[Danzn Bar]

Only built one "Molly" and I really like the design, Like what Del said about having the levers moving at full draw.  I know my tips can be much thinner and the next time I'll have them thinner and moving just a bit.
DBar

[lebhuntfish]

I to like the idea of the tips bending a bit. I think that would make it late a little more cast. Not sure though. It's something I would like to try one day. Patrick

[Auggie]

Ive had several oaks break and one wasnt a board. i suggest hickory or ash,and im guessing they are in the same hardwood price as oak. Keep at it!

[huisme]

Tips light enough to bend a little (really little, they have almost no surface area to spread compression over) are ideal, but they should be reduced that far a little at a time after the working limb has been tillered.

[PAHunter]

hopefully some day I can contribute to PA instead of just ask questions

You are contributing my friend!  There are more beginners on here than anyone wiht the same questions as you.  Your post(s) will help many new bowyers!   

Chris, I thought you might chime in on that comment.  haha     For the record I have tasted that flavor of ice cream before.  It just was not quite as good as yours.    Boariorbows, Mike, is awesome but I just disagree with him on recommending mollys for beginners.  But what can I say I'm still on my recurve fettish?   

[lebhuntfish]

Thanks PA, I appreciate it. As far as making a molly the way mike said it is pretty simple I really didn't have that much time in it. So that part was simple. But anyways I found the flat bow to be really simple.  Patrick

[Sidewinder]

In one sense I'm sorry for your loss and on the other hand congratulations on your new learning experience. Thats the dicotomy of making self bows. Every failure is a win if you learn something from it. personally I would rather work with hickory, white oak or maple if it were gonna be board bows.  Danny

[mikekeswick]

Del - it all about string angle and stored energy.

[Del the cat]

Del - it all about string angle and stored energy.

I can see I've just gotta build one...
Can you give me a note to give to Mrs Cat?
Something along the lines of.
"Del is excused from decorating and gardening, 'cos he's got to make a Molly for his homework".
That should do it
Del