Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Newindian on July 14, 2013, 01:15:32 am
-
There are two of them on the back of an Osage self bow I'm working on and they are so small that it took me forever or actually find them, one is several inches away from a tip the other is mid limb neither are very close to an edge and both are about the size of a slightly dulled pencil pencil lead. My question would be can I just leave them alone. If pic are needed I should be able to get some up tomorrow afternoon.
-
I'd flow some super glue in them and continue if it was Me. Bob
-
Nope there not a problem have you seen some of the Osage self bows posted on here with gigantic knot holes that you could fit your arm through? Lol I don't see how a tiny little bug hole is gonna effect anything
-
Interesting to me that it's on Osage. My Hackberry gets those tiny bug holes, but the Bodark beside it does not.
-
Any break in the continuity of the back ring can be a problem. The back of a bow works in tension(pulling)and even small holes are a violation of the back ring and a splinter can arise from these when the bow is drawn. Super glue may remedy this but only time will tell.
Pics are always a beneficial for us to make a judgement of a problem, even a minute one.
-
Pat's right. Those holes are a violation of some of the grain. There's a big difference between a knothole where the grain flows around the knot and a bug hole that cuts through it. The other problem is that even though the entry hole is small, some bugs get in there and hollow out channels that get progressively bigger as the bug grows. This will create some hidden voids that will be a big problem. Pics would definitely help. Are there exit holes? I'm not saying you won't get a bow out of it. But pics would help in guessing the probability of it. Josh
-
Powder post beetle holes, about the size of a pin, look real innocent but are the worst of the worst.
Here is a cross section of a log and what these rascals actually do after they penetrate the surface of wood.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/powderpostdamage.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ekrewson/media/bow%20making/powderpostdamage.jpg.html)
-
I wouldn't trust any wood with bug holes near the back... kaboom
Del
-
I tried to make a hickory bow out of a stave that had a few pin holes in the back of the stave, here is the result. You can see the beetle trail in the form of segmented sawdust(bug dodo) in the center of the stave. On close inspection it turned out the visible bug trail was one of many.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/bugtrailshickoryfailure.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ekrewson/media/bow%20making/bugtrailshickoryfailure.jpg.html)
-
I'd fill them with super glue and move forward. If it breaks it breaks, and you'll know for sure that the stave was bad. If you burn it, you'll never know what could have been.
-
It can be bad news when a bow blows....ok on a tillering board but in the hand.....
Bug holes = Bad news
The short and safe answer is cut it in half and keep the good half for a future spliced bow.
If you are determined to continue with it I would fill with thin ca and then either do a rawhide patch or a small sinew patch around the area. At least if it does fail you will have some warning because you will see a white line 'appear' under the backing before kaboom.
-
First of all I was only able to see the first two replys before I had to go out of internet connection and tiller this bow, which was successful the at my draw length, but this bow isn't intended for me ( but a tip overlay broke on the way back so that needs to be fix before shooting again). they are closer to the edge than I remembered when I made the original post
-
I would add that there is only one other hole and it is in the side of the handle. I have split other smaller bows out off the same stave and haven't seen any holes in them.
-
It doesn't look too deep. Best bet would've been to course sand the hole and surrounding area so you flatten any abrupt transitions, where a tension break gremlin might get at. You could still do it now.
If you are selling the bow or even giving it I would personally back it with raw hide just for safety, and to save you having to risk hours and materials making a replacment.
-
The bow will be donated to an friends of the NRA auction that our shooting club host. My main problem is that I'm short on backing materials at the time, I'm considering taking thin Osage wood shavings and gluing them over the holes
-
I wouldn't give that bow to anyone. Its not worth the risk.
-
I agree with Pat.
Honestly it might be fine for now but those sort of things are timebombs....remember a broken bow could blind somebody and i'm definately not the sort of person to rime on about 'health and safety' :)
-
Those are wood borers.
Here in WV there really bad. They don't eat green wood but it only takes a week or so for eggs to be lay ed and hatched and the larvae start eating down in the dead wood. And as soon as the trees cut it's dead.
With Osage I add super glue with dust. I've make upwards of 20 OSAGE BOWS WITH BOARER HOLES. When I started cutting stave wood 22 years ago. That first year I didn't know about wood borers.
I never had had a bow returned. But white woods another thing. Doing the glue thing has worked on some. But they'll usely left a splinter at that point. Backing the best advice. I'VE ALSO SEEN THAT CYRISTILLIZEING STARTS AROUND THESE AREAS.
I build a few bows everyyear I also cut ,season and sell lots of stave's everyyear.
Like I said WV or anywhere you have wood borers there's only one thing to do. As soon as I get my logs home I spray it down with any pesticide. I usually use what ever LOWES have cheap.
Next as I split into stave in the weeks months to come (WHEN IHAVE TIME) After I split into stave's I'll spray down the bark again.
I don't think eggs are lay ed after that first years. But no sure because I've aways strayed. The are some woods they won't use persimmon,sassafras,cedars that I know of.
If your have the time to debark and seal the stave NO need to spray it down. The borers eggs are only lay ed in the bark.
Hers one other thing some hard woods they only eat to the hard wood then feed (eat) side ways. I guess the hard woods to hard. Like I say pic's. some posted.
-
I guess that I am not so safety minded , since I have given away bows with bug holes in them
In fact I gave away a hickory bow a little over a year ago that was riddled with them !
It started out as a lets see how far I can get before this thing blows , but it didnt and a fellow saw it and just had to have it !
some went in the back and came out the side, others disappeared to who knows where, some ran out the belly ,and some just skimmed the back for a few inches !
None of the holes were filled with glue , just left them alone !
We named it beetle juice ! All though they were borers not beetles !
At any rate have fun and stay safe !! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Don't forget my school colors were black and blue and some times purple and green ! :laugh: :laugh:
-
The wood wasn't cut buy me and I've already talked with the supplier, filled with superglue and sill holding fine.