Slump

[Badger]

Jeff, are you noticing with these bows that things happen suddenly? I'm noticing that there doesn't seem to be little problems, everything goes fine and then, Oh,Oh.

Marc, I don't know if I can do that. I get out in the shop and things just roll along at their own pace. I am going to be more careful and try not to take big steps, though.

   I know what you are talking about here. These are your big learning opportunities where you can really start to get the entire process under control. Anytime you run into a snag or something happens that catches you off guard figure out why it happened. One major problem I used to run into when working on bows with lots of curves and reflex was the tiller would suddenly change. Thats when I switched over to using full draw weight from the very beginning and all the way through the process.

[DC]

I'm glad to know that I'm not imagining it. Thanks

[Bayou Ben]

I agree with others.  You are hard on yourself DC.  You have been making some top notch bows lately.  I remember that takedown you made with osage and ocean spray handle, not that traditional, but man what a work of art that thing was.  And you've been cranking them out. 
I like to try different wood.  I find trying to find the potential in a new species is always exciting. 
I would tell you to take a break but I understand that sometimes bow building bite grips harder and you just need to keep building.  I would try a different design or different material, then come back to r/d bows with a fresh mind.   

 
 

[upstatenybowyer]

Yes Don. On the last two failures everything was going fine, in fact it was going great then... BOOM!

One was a maple-backed yew w/static recurve tips. I had it like 2" from FD with the tiller looking really good then it just blew up.

The other was maple-backed ERC. I had that one bending evenly, pulling to the target draw weight each time until I was ready for a low brace. It blew just as I was securing the string.

Both had quite a bit of glued-in reflex. I've been starting w/ a lot of reflex cause a lot of it pulls out and I really want the finished bow to retain at least an inch or two. Maybe I'm just asking too much of the wood.

[DC]

I haven't broken a bow for quite a while, I just screw up the tiller. I think I've only broken one R/D. I bet I just jinxed myself by saying that

[burtonridr]

I'm pretty sure I know why they're failing. It's overconfidence/stupidity on my part On this last one the belly wood was getting a bit too thin for my liking and i still had a long way(I thought) to go. The tips were way to wide and the the limbs were 1 3/4 at the fades. I thought I could get away with 1/4" off the width all the way down. Too much!!! One limb was OK but the other was too light. By the time they were equal(ish) it was too late. I have to figure out how to stop myself from doing similar things. Maybe a longbow. My last longbow worked out

This has happened to me on like 4 bows.... I just accidentally take out to much on the belly, one wrong shave with the draw knife and BAM!! a deep chunk missing that I have to work with. A few were tears early in the process that got me all whacked out and chasing down uneven tiller and a hing.... Frustrating.

[Parnell]

Flint knapping really helped me slow down...just a thought.

[DC]

I tried knapping but I have arthritis in my hands and it just hurts too much to enjoy. Napping, on the other hand, I find quite enjoyable

[hoosierf]

I’m in a slump too but i have found some comfort by pulling out and shooting some of my old bows that i haven’t even looked at for a long time. When i do that it just seems to make me feel better.  Maybe it just reminds me that it’s in there, ya just gotta let it out.  The other day i even shot my first ever hickory bow. 

[leonwood]

You already make beautiful bows so no need to get artistic!
What I do to keep me from rushing is work on multiple bows and models at the same time. This gives me time to think every bow through and still work in my hobby as much as I can. And if you mess one up you always have another one in the works to shift your attention and get over the failure. Just had this problem a few weeks ago when I cracked an almost finished elm bow by heat correcting some sideways twist, continued with my laburnum five curve the same day and forgot about the elm.

[Stick Bender]

I think it cycles I went from severale failures then the last 3 bows came in perfect tiller & right weight they where all first time designs, but the difference for me is I started putting time frame on the back burner and payed attention to micro details when I put a time frame on a bow I tend to push threw and miss things, I think working on exspermental bows and changing designs keeps your mind and skills sharp , also well thinking out the design before beginning helps eliminate mistakes for me , failures are not a slump for me they just show me I missed something &  If I'm just chasing speed  I'm over looking design details in the end it's about enjoying the journey !