Check in limb

[ricktrojanowski]

I just finished recurving the tips and adding overlays on an osage bow I'm currently working on.  I noticed a very fine check in the upper limb below the recurved tip.  It hasn't migrated out to the edge yet, but I'm concerned that it will.  I think I should wrap with sinew.  My questions  are ... Can I still snakeskin the limbs over the sinew wrap?  If not I want to dye the bow with water base aniline dye to darken it a bit.  Shoud I dye under the sinew before applying?  I'm about 4# over my target weight.  Should I sinew now or wait until I get to my target weight.
I know that is a pretty long winded bunch of question but I would greatly appreciate any advice.

Thanks,
Rick

[Badger]

Rick, I have never worried much about checking on osage, I just finished a bow that was riddled with long checks both back and belly. I floated some super glue into them and ignored them, they seem fine, have about 100 arrows through the bow and several hundered pulls on the tiller tree. Steve

[tom sawyer]

I'd only wrap with sinew after reaching target weight, otherwise you won't be able to work this area.  If you're within 4lb, you'll probably lose that in shooting it in.  So its probably time.

And yes you can snakeskin over sinew, in fact it is common to put skins over sinew since they help keep the sinew dry.

I agree with Badger, usually small checks on osage don't cause problems.  If it looks like it might grow to an edge, then a wrap would be a preventative measure.  Good luck.

[cowboy]

Good post for me at the right time - I'll get busy on my osage recurve when I get home. Thanks for asking Rick .

[Pat B]

Rick, Did you steam the tips to bend them? If so, thats why it is checking. You added moisture to the dry wood and now it is releasing it. A spray of shellac over dry wood before steaming will help to prevent this from happening.
  I believe checks run with the woods grain so unless the grain runs off the edge of the bow you should not have a problem with it. I use super glue like Steve and if the checks are big enough I use saw dust as a filler with the super glue.
   If the area concerns you add a sinew wrap. You can remove the wrap later, add the snake skin and re-apply the sinew wrap and possibly a wrap on the other limb for symmetry. Pat

[cowboy]

 

[ricktrojanowski]

Thanks for the help guys I truly appreciate it.  I bent using dry heat from a heat gun.  I was mostly concerned with the sinew under the skin because of the lump the sinew would create.  And if the skin would have a problem there.  I like the idea of going ower the wrap w/sinew.  I'll post pics when it's finally done.    It will be a while.