Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Lee Lobbestael on July 29, 2012, 08:34:54 pm
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Well I just finished my hunting bow for this year. Its a hickory self bow 66" tip to tip 50#@28". and I noticed a crack it the back of the bottom limb. It runs with the grain and is about 2 1/2" long and starts about 1 1/2" from the fade. It does not run off the limb at all. I believe it is a drying crack. Is this something I should be worried about? From my experience hickory holds together well and as long as it doesn't run off the limb and runs with the grain it is ok but I wanted to hear what you guys think.
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I wish I could get a picture of it but have no way of doing that right now
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Cracks like that aren't generally a huge problem. It could be a drying crack or it might be from the curling forces of bending a wide thin limb (edges lag the center). I'd fill with some superglue and go with it. Hickory has a fair amount of crosslinking grain (tough to split for this reason) so the crack shouldn't cause a big problem.
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Thanks Tom. I was hoping that was the case because I spent several months on this bow and don't have a backup for season!
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Based on your description, it doesn't sound like it should be a problem. Like Tom said you can fill it with superglue; also if you have any artifical sinew on hand you could wrap the cracked area for insurance. A few wraps--a couple feet would be plenty.
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yeah maybe I will wrap it. It is a hairline crack tho and doesn't look like it would even take super glue. I could be wrong tho
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If the crack is big enough to see, thin super glue will run into it. When I'm filling a crack with that stuff it always runs further than the crack I saw to begin with. I don't like super glue much, but it sure gets in there.
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I would'nt worry about it. But if you do supper glue it stain your bow first. Or super glue and sand all the glue it gets out side the crack. SUPER GLUE WON'T STAIN SO WHAT SAYS ON THE WOOD YOU WILL SEE. If you try staining over it.