Crack parallel to the back

[gfugal]

So there's a crack in a part of this juniper stave that occurred during the splitting process. It runs parallel to the back wich is the top side in the picture. I thinned the stave as narrow as I feel comfortable with (a little under one and a half inches) but it looks like it still goes in a bit further (maybe a quarter of an inch). have any of you dealt with this successfully, or is it a lost cause and I should just chuck it up as firewood? I put thin superglue into it till it was well saturated and you can kind of see it in the picture. What else could I do?

[DC]

Use it Just keep your eye on it.

[bradsmith2010]

is that in the fade out area,, just dont make it bend so much there, I think it will make a bow,

[osage outlaw]

I don't trust cracks like that. 

[gfugal]

is that in the fade out area,, just dont make it bend so much there, I think it will make a bow,

unfortunately no. It would be in the worst spot...mid limb. 

[DC]

Wait a minute! Is that the side of the stave we're looking at, and is the crack about 1/4-1/2" from the back? If that's the case I reserve the right to change my mind.

[Weylin]

I don't trust cracks like that.

Same here. Cracks on the side equal no bueno.   

[mikekeswick]

The only way to find out is to start to make a bow from it. Once you have it to floor tiller all should become obvious.

[Dances with squirrels]

I don't use bow wood like that. If I can't completely remove the crack, I burn it. Question though, is it in the handle area? If so, is the stave long enough that you could remove that bad section and Z splice the stave back together?

[George Tsoukalas]

Is that the side? Looks like plenty of wood there for a bow, if yes. Jawge

[DuBois]

I would be concerned that it cracked while splitting instead of drying. Not sure if the way it gets damage matters but that's definitely against it's will and nature.
I say just tear into it some more and see if it goes away. 1.5" is still real thick for mid limb. No expert on that wood but I bet you got another half inch to remove still.

[gfugal]

Wait a minute! Is that the side of the stave we're looking at, and is the crack about 1/4-1/2" from the back? If that's the case I reserve the right to change my mind.

This is the case unfortunately. Its positoned so mid limb there's no way i can shorten it enough to z splice. It's already a billet. It's juniper which isn't that stiff (more than half as stiff as osage) so it will take much more wood to equal a similar pound bow. If i make it real long and thick and keep it at a short draw (like an ELB) i might get away with narrowing it down to 1". I wasn't planning on attempting it now. Maybe i'll mull over it a bit. After several other bows i might feel more adventurous in an expirament like this that has a high risk of failure.

[Pat B]

Will you post a pic of exactly where in the bow this crack is? A full pic of the back and belly.

[Dances with squirrels]

Yes, it would be helpful to see a full length picture of that side of the stave.

I bet that crack goes farther across than you think. I don't trust superglue for those kinds of drying checks. With the grain? Yes, sometimes, but not a check that is in essence a delamination of growth rings.

If you have enough thickness, another potential option might be, to drawknife down to the crack, chase that ring end to end, then back the bow with sinew.