Elm elb 2 (repair possible?)

[Calios]

Hi everyone, novice here, it's been a while since last posted on the forum, but trying to get back to bowmaking by taking up an old project i set aside some time ago. I am working with quite a challenging wonky piece of elm, hoping to get an english longbow out of it.

It's 65 inches of total lenght, and I'm aiming for a 45# at 27. I am still in the early stages of tillering, but i doubt it is gonna make it, as it presents some big knots and a twist along the upper limb. Moreover there's a section of the bottom limb (right limb in photo) with some very fragile wood (rotten wood?), which I tried to get steady with, hoping i could solve it by proceeding with tillering and controlled wood removal. At first i was quite optimistic with how it was behaving, however it created a severe hinge after i strung it, and has recently cracked, so I immediately stopped to heave it.

Now i am not sure on how to continue or if it's a no go by now, but i would really like to save it if i can. I would really appriciate some support, thanks for any feedback.

[Calios]

Will post more once i get the images compressed

[Calios]

last tillering and crack

[Calios]

more about the crack

[Muskyman]

Well that sucks. Was that a knot or just a funky spot in the stave?

[Calios]

At first I thought it might be some bug work, i then realized it was brittle, and dark, and easy to lift and remove.

[medicinewheel]

From the wavy look of year rings right there it might have been an overgrown scar of some sort, and the dark stuff is leftover bark. Ash does that, had it similar on other occassions.

[Calios]

Could a patch solve the issue? I've never tried any similar attempt before, but hey, it could be an opportunity to learn something

[medicinewheel]

Well, I think it could be done, but it would be more work making one from a better stave.

[Calios]

Yes, i'm well aware of the commitment required, but i still want to go for it. how would you proceed for a repair? thank you for your kind help medicinewheel

[Del the cat]

If you must try and save it...
I'd wedge open the split so you can clean out ALL the manky wood. The  flood it with your glue of choice, clamping the split up closed.
Once the glue has cured, chisel out a section where there is missing timber, Make  up a snug fitting patch, glue that in and finally bind the whole area with fine linen thread which is then soaked with low viscosity superglue.
I recently did something similar on a broken limb of a Wych Elm bow and the destruction tested it! Short video here :-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtsNl70iGvI
Del

[bjrogg]

If you must try and save it...
I'd wedge open the split so you can clean out ALL the manky wood. The  flood it with your glue of choice, clamping the split up closed.
Once the glue has cured, chisel out a section where there is missing timber, Make  up a snug fitting patch, glue that in and finally bind the whole area with fine linen thread which is then soaked with low viscosity superglue.
I recently did something similar on a broken limb of a Wych Elm bow and the destruction tested it! Short video here :-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtsNl70iGvI[/url



Was hoping  Mr Cat would get in there.

Bjrogg







Del

[Muskyman]

Awesome Del. Was actually amazed at how much the glue and linen thread helped that limb out. I wouldn’t have thought you could do much to save that thing. Pretty amazing.

[Calios]

Hmm, I am more concerned about the first part of the process, as i am unsure how to make glue enter the final part of the crack, because of the narrow space, and I am afraid to worsen it by splitting it even more. As for the glue, I have some epoxy that I could use.

[Calios]

So, little update, i ve sanded the surface and removed all the manky stuff left, glued the crack and then flattened it. Now I was thinking about making a first patch thin enough to be bent on the curved surface, then to place some other strips of elm and to get more mass. What do you think?