Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: coaster500 on August 11, 2012, 11:48:05 am

Title: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: coaster500 on August 11, 2012, 11:48:05 am
I was roughing out a Mulberry stave and got a pretty nice candidate in the top half for a bow. When I was finished with the top I looked at the belly split and decide to see if there was a bow in it. Chased the back as far as I could and was left with a narrow piece that will need an ELB type cross section but I'm not sure it will make it to a bow. I've worked with some cracks before but this one has a bunch. The worst is 10"s from the tip on on end and shows on the top and side of the limb. If I continue I will be backing it with rawhide....  it's that side crack that worrys me????

Question smoker or bow?????

http://s28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Stave%20Master/?albumview=slideshow

(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Stave%20Master/MulberrysplitandtheStaveMaster004-1.jpg)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Stave%20Master/MulberrysplitandtheStaveMaster017.jpg)

Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: Pat B on August 11, 2012, 11:53:49 am
Kip, that crack seems to run off the limb. You could soak it with super glue and add a wrap where it comes close to the edge.  It should make a light weight bow and maybe heavier. You'll only know if you try!  ;)
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on August 11, 2012, 02:01:37 pm
Or wrap rawhide over both edges encasing the entire back and sides. I have done it with heavier 50-55# bows and it worked well. I would still super glue the crack prior to adding rawhide.
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 11, 2012, 03:16:24 pm
+1 on PD's advice. 

Get the thinnest, runniest, crack penetrating superglue you can find.  Some of that stuff will wick deep into cracks.  Several light applications seems to work better than one big soaker. 

Antelope rawhide is great in this situation where you add as little weigh as possible but still plenty of strength. 

Best of luck to you!
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on August 11, 2012, 03:23:28 pm
Roo hide is great to, very thin and opaque. Just did a locust bow with it a few weeks back.
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: coaster500 on August 11, 2012, 03:38:25 pm
Thanks guys....  crazy glue is done

Got goat but Roo hide???
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 11, 2012, 03:39:24 pm
I ate kangaroo once.  Tastes great, but it makes me jumpy. 
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: lesken2011 on August 11, 2012, 04:07:13 pm
JW definitely took his "funny" pill today.  ::)
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 11, 2012, 04:36:08 pm
Swore off those funny pills long ago.   ;D
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: Pat B on August 11, 2012, 04:58:20 pm
Goat rawhide is excellent too. Thin and strong!  ;)
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: DarkSoul on August 11, 2012, 06:54:55 pm
I can't make a judgement based on those crappy pictures. I can see a faint grey line, but it that's the crack?? I can't tell. How does it run? How deep does it go? Does it wander off the side?
Take the bow outside, in bright daylight. Lay the bow down (not hovering in mid-air). Set the camera on "macro"-mode, which is the button with the little flower icon. The report some pics and we might be able to see the cracks. But it remains difficult for us to get a 3D image of how the crack exactly runs.

A superglue soak, wrap with thread/sinew and a backing might save the bow if it's a smallish crack that doesn't wander off the side too much.
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: coaster500 on August 11, 2012, 07:44:42 pm
Sorry for the bad pics but I took them in a hurry this morning before work... I'm at work now but the top picture shows the crack on the back of the bow and yes it does go to and thru the edge. The bottom picture shows the crack on the side of the bow. Yes it goes thru the edge on the side.
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 12, 2012, 03:30:18 pm
Talk about irresponsible behavior.  The guy has a serious problem with a bow and blithely goes off to work!  Dude!  Priorities!
Title: Re: Smoker or Bow???
Post by: coaster500 on August 12, 2012, 05:03:37 pm
 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: