Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: PeteC on June 04, 2010, 03:26:02 pm

Title: The Heart breaker
Post by: PeteC on June 04, 2010, 03:26:02 pm
I thought this was going to be a good one. Two year old osage,snakey,with big recurves.Tillered well to 20",then,boom, the stave was'nt in agreement.   God Bless



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Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: Josh on June 04, 2010, 03:33:00 pm
Dang Pete, that thing was gonna be beautiful!   I hate to see it didn't survive...  :'(
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: Bevan R. on June 04, 2010, 03:34:15 pm
 :( Man, that has got to hurt. Looked like a good fun piece.
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: bigcountry on June 04, 2010, 04:18:08 pm
So where did it crack at?  Midlimbs?
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: George Tsoukalas on June 04, 2010, 04:58:06 pm
That's the way it goes. Did you force it? Tell us how you tiller and tell us about the design. If yo ain't breakin' you ain't makin'! Jawge
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: PeteC on June 04, 2010, 08:15:00 pm
Yea,I had high hopes for this stave,but...... It looked great the whole tiller,I'd taken it very slowly,because with the snakes in it,and the recurves,it required some thought to keep everything in line, and from twisting.I had just worked it 30 times to 20",only needing a couple of inches shaved off the tips right before the curves,gave it one more pull,and crack.It broke a few inches from the fade in one of the only "straight" parts of the limb.No knots,sanded smooth,and lookin' good till the end.I never force a bow,as you can see it had yet to take any  set.I hear you George ,I break several a year,because I build a few. ;).Thanks for the sympathy fella's. God Bless
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: ken75 on June 04, 2010, 11:18:58 pm
what was the length of this one pete ?
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: AncientArcher76 on June 05, 2010, 12:00:14 am
Like Jawge said U aint breakin u aint makin!  When did u notice the fracture? 

AA
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: ricktrojanowski on June 05, 2010, 12:12:17 am
That is too bad. :(   That was shaping up to be a real beauty.  It's part of making bows, but it still stinks.  Sorry for your loss.
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: Pat B on June 05, 2010, 12:21:19 am
Too bad, Pete. She looked like a keeper. Would it be worth sinew backing?
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: PeteC on June 05, 2010, 12:51:30 am
 Ken,it was 62" tip to tip.Ancient archer,I noticed the crack when it said snap.I feel very fortunate I'm not  sportin' some brand new body piercing. Pat,this crack runs about 5",and is fairly deep.I would'nt have much faith in it,even with a few courses of sinew.It's OK,I got one from "stave to form", today right after the break happened.Thanks and God Bless
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: Lombard on June 05, 2010, 11:11:14 am
Yep, know what you mean. I get disappointed every time I have a failure, and then I just have to smile, because, it gives me an excuse to start another one.  :D
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: cowboy on June 05, 2010, 11:33:33 am
That's a shame Pete. Think I fondled that one a little while touring your shop ;D. Slippery elm?
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: PeteC on June 05, 2010, 01:18:51 pm
Paul,the slippery elm stave made a bow,it's posted.I did show this one to you as well,it's osage.Lombard,I know what you mean,and if your like me,you dont need much of an excuse. ;) God Bless
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: Del the cat on June 05, 2010, 01:42:51 pm
Shame, looks like you'd put in a lot of work.
How come they never go bang at the start and save you the effort?
Del
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: Pat B on June 05, 2010, 02:00:46 pm
It's odd to see a clear osage stave break across the back. Any indications why it broke?
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: dragonman on June 05, 2010, 06:20:44 pm
Commiserations Pete, looks like you really went for it there, pity it broke, must have been those extreme recurves dont you think over stressing the limbs?
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: PeteC on June 05, 2010, 08:52:29 pm
I can't find any good reason this thing broke.I've pushed wood very hard before with no problems,and yes it was very clean,and had a beautiful near circular tiller.The whole limb,(working area),was sharing the bend,and there was no torque in the area ,and I was at the point of long stroking it to finish up.I'm in east Texas,so the stave being too dry really is not a possibility.There had never been any heat applied to the area either.It's just like someone told me once."It's just a piece of wood".I guess that's how I'll have to take it.  God Bless
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: Pappy on June 09, 2010, 07:17:14 am
Ya it happens,I hate it but you have to move on, It don't bother me much when I know it is something I did wrong,and learn something but for no apparent reason bothers me more.What kind of rings did it have ?Thin or thick and how was the ratio between the winter and spring growth,
just curious. :) :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: bowkee on June 09, 2010, 02:38:15 pm
I like it when all show the breaks because it helps in Tillering and Choosing wood to work with.
 ;)
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: HatchA on June 09, 2010, 05:34:35 pm
How come they never go bang at the start and save you the effort?
Del

Wouldn't teach you very much if they went boom in the early stages ;)
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: PeteC on June 14, 2010, 08:40:44 pm
Pappy,it had rings averaging 1/8" in thickness,and the early /late ratio was about as good as I can find. God Bless
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: PeteDavis on June 14, 2010, 09:06:17 pm


Dangnacious. Reckon my turns comin'!

Make another the wood says!

PD
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: Matthias Wiltschko on June 15, 2010, 11:30:36 am
Man, that hurts. Such a beautiful stave!
Looks like you made no mistake.
In order to save the bow, you could take of the cracked ring of the back, fill the crack if it goes deeper with superglue and put on some sinew.


Matthias
Title: Re: The Heart breaker
Post by: PeteC on June 15, 2010, 09:03:34 pm
Matthias,I sure considered all my options,but ,if I chased another ring it would have been way to thin,and as osage usually is,the rings were of un-even thickness. Thanks for the suggestion though. God Bless