Dogbane-less Hickory shorty

[WhistlingBadger]

Totally understand this frustration.  This is the principle of the thing now.  You’ll get it sorted out.

Thanks, Dave, that commiseration makes it easier to keep trying.  ha ha   

Got the old backing steamed off, sized the back, and started again.  A few things I'm doing differently:  I'm soaking the fibers in warm water before applying to make them more cooperative.  Using smaller bundles or individual fibers, instead of big, wide bundles, and overlapping the ends more to avoid weak places.  Running each fiber bundle through a fine-tooth comb to remove broken and twisted fibers, and straighten the ones that remain.  And using more glue.  Lots and lots of glue.  Finally, covered the first layer in plastic film and very tightly wrapped with an ace bandage for a few hours until the glue sets up, just to really get it to adhere to the wood.

If this doen't work?

[superdav95]

Haha that’s too funny.  If you do decide to blow it up please do us all a favour and film it.  That would be too funny.  Well tragedy kind of funny.  You know what I mean.  Not trying to be offensive…. 

[WhistlingBadger]

Haha that’s too funny.  If you do decide to blow it up please do us all a favour and film it.  That would be too funny.  Well tragedy kind of funny.  You know what I mean.  Not trying to be offensive….

 

[superdav95]

Haha that’s too funny.  If you do decide to blow it up please do us all a favour and film it.  That would be too funny.  Well tragedy kind of funny.  You know what I mean.  Not trying to be offensive….

 

 

[willie]

good luck with the reapplication,  a few pics as you go would be nice........
if worst comes to worst you could always offer it to the bow gods lest something like this comes to your neighborhood

[WhistlingBadger]

Finally done hunting and back to work on this thing.  Going to full brace today.  Pulling about 30# at 9".  No crunchy sounds so far; I think I might have finally gotten this dogbane glued down.  Finding myself rather distracted by the smell of roasting turkey.  Happy thanksgiving!   

[WhistlingBadger]

Tillering.  Something seems a little off, but I can't tell what.  Guess I need to dig out Eric's gizmo and see what's up.  In the meantime, any thoughts???

[Pappy]

Looks pretty good to me, maybe bending a little more in left limb but over all pretty good. Pappy

[superdav95]

Looks good so far.  I agree with pappy might need little more bending on inner of right limb. 

[WhistlingBadger]

Well, I was puzzled but I am no longer.  I had the limbs bending fairly evenly, then suddenly the right (top) limb was bending much less.  I was examining the backing and found a crack in the backing on the left (bottom) limb.  Dad gummit, or words to that effect.  I might just steam the backing off of this, slap some rawhide and snakeskin on it to make it a kids' bow (the neighbor down the street wants me to make one for his kid for christmas), and get on with my life.

I hate to do this, gentlemen, but I think I'm going to have to declare dogbane a failure as bow backing, at least for me.  I could try again but I just don't know how to do it any better than I did. 

As WC Field said, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.  Then quit.  There's no use being a $*#& fool about it."

[WhistlingBadger]

Haha that’s too funny.  If you do decide to blow it up please do us all a favour and film it.  That would be too funny.  Well tragedy kind of funny.  You know what I mean.  Not trying to be offensive….

 

[superdav95]

Sorry to hear that WB.   I was rooting for ya on this one.  You really gave it a go and didn’t quit. 

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks, Dave.  I have several juniper and rocky mountain maple staves, and honestly I'm ready to get on to other projects.  I learned a lot from this, so the time wasn't wasted.  Thanks for all the help and encouragement.

[WhistlingBadger]

Well, this bow is now in its third incarnation, this time as a rawhide-backed, hickory heartwood kid's recurve.  Right now it's pulling about 15# @ 20".  I'd like to work it all the way to my full draw of 27" so the kid can grow with it, but I'm nervous about pulling it that far.  These limbs are REALLY short compared to anything else I've ever done (55" ntn), and I'd hate to break it.  On the other hand, the limbs are about 2" wide and the weight is light, so it's probably OK...thoughts?