Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 04, 2015, 12:07:04 pm

Title: Am I screwed?
Post by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 04, 2015, 12:07:04 pm
I chased a ring, removed a TON of wood, took my time, had this Black Locust stave floor tillered, and started to do some light sanding with 150-grit sandpaper before I went to the next stage of tillering. Then this happened to the back of the bow near the upper limb. (By the way, I sanded off the blood smears from where that splinter pierced the side of my hand.) I was shooting for a 62" bow (60" nock-to-nock). Am I screwed? Should I cut it shorter? I would have to take 4 1/2" off. Would I have to cut BOTH limbs shorter? Or, could I cut just the one limb because there is not much taper to this bow? Would I be able to get this to a 27" draw at a length of 58"? Boy, what a crummy way to start the day.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: Roy on March 04, 2015, 12:14:14 pm
Not screwed at all. You need to rasp in facets on the limb edges of the back and belly anyway and doing that will take that right out of there. You will be fine.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on March 04, 2015, 12:15:08 pm
How wide is that area? It doesn't need to be over 5/8", and that's max.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: Roy on March 04, 2015, 12:17:08 pm
Im the "Good" Chris....

Now that thar is funny:)
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 04, 2015, 12:18:09 pm
Not screwed at all. You need to rasp in facets on the limb edges of the back and belly anyway and doing that will take that right out of there. You will be fine.

Could you explain "facets on the limb edges"? Sorry, I am not sure what that means.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: half eye on March 04, 2015, 12:19:16 pm
dont believe you have an issue, like Roy said. I would glue it now because it's easier at this point but you will wind up filing most (if not all) of it out.
rich
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: Roy on March 04, 2015, 12:22:54 pm
We don't want to leave the edges of the limbs square. So we use a rasp and rasp off the square limb edges on the front and back of the bow, sort of like at a 45 degree angle, then round them over with sand paper.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: Chadwick on March 04, 2015, 12:23:38 pm
Crazyhorse, if you don't get what they're saying, I'll explain. Firstly, the tip may not need to be as wide as it is; in which case, you can narrow the tip on the splintered side, removing the splinter. Secondly, the edges of the back of the bow should be rounded. This "faceting" would likely remove that splinter, even if you kept it at its current width.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 04, 2015, 12:24:24 pm
How wide is that area? It doesn't need to be over 5/8", and that's max.

1" at the widest pint and tappers to 1/16" at the narrowest point.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 04, 2015, 12:25:17 pm
We don't want to leave the edges of the limbs square. So we use a rasp and rasp off the square limb edges on the front and back of the bow, sort of like at a 45 degree angle, then round them over with sand paper.

Got it! Thanks!
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 04, 2015, 12:25:48 pm
Crazyhorse, if you don't get what they're saying, I'll explain. Firstly, the tip may not need to be as wide as it is; in which case, you can narrow the tip on the splintered side, removing the splinter. Secondly, the edges of the back of the bow should be rounded. This "faceting" would likely remove that splinter, even if you kept it at its current width.

Understood. Thanks!
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: bradsmith2010 on March 04, 2015, 12:27:02 pm
good advice from above, you still have a bow,,  :)
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 04, 2015, 12:34:13 pm
One last thing before I get back to working. Do I HAVE to glue it? Or, can I either simply narrow the limbs or begin to facet the edges?
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 04, 2015, 12:35:15 pm
good advice from above, you still have a bow,,  :)

Thanks! This is only my fourth bow, so I was getting freaked out.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: Blaflair2 on March 04, 2015, 12:42:33 pm
It'll be gone once u thin and round edges
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: bubby on March 04, 2015, 12:44:36 pm
Do as roy said and u don't need to glue, plus if it's an inch wide narrow it down to about 1/2"- 5/8" to start
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 04, 2015, 12:45:57 pm
Got it!
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: Roy on March 04, 2015, 12:53:48 pm
Right at that splinter, I would rasp from the bow tip towards the handle so you don't rip off a bigger chunk. Rasping towards the tip could cause it to pull deeper into the center of the limb. It will be fine, just take your time right there.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: Jodocus on March 04, 2015, 04:25:26 pm
You're probaly screwed, yes. But the tip looks like it can be saved easily.   ;D
As said, there's lots of room to go narrower, or alternatively, you could do overlays.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: Hamish on March 04, 2015, 10:05:44 pm
Also make sure the nocks are smoothed with some sandpaper, as sharp edges concentrate the force of the string and can split off the edge.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: sleek on March 04, 2015, 10:19:57 pm
Lemme get this straight,  you tried to make a bow, out of wood? If you aren't prepared for a lifetime of wood chips everywhere,  sawdust in your hair, reckless driving while gazing at the perfectly straight wood growing on the shoulder of the highway, ( personal driver helps, I married mine so it's not all bad ) and looking at every piece of straight grained wood furniture and thinking, I could make a bow of that, and having a collection of dead animal parts, then yes, you are screwed.  Completely.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 04, 2015, 11:38:21 pm
Lemme get this straight,  you tried to make a bow, out of wood? If you aren't prepared for a lifetime of wood chips everywhere,  sawdust in your hair, reckless driving while gazing at the perfectly straight wood growing on the shoulder of the highway, ( personal driver helps, I married mine so it's not all bad ) and looking at every piece of straight grained wood furniture and thinking, I could make a bow of that, and having a collection of dead animal parts, then yes, you are screwed.  Completely.

Funny! Your "reckless driving while gazing at the perfectly straight wood growing on the shoulder of the highway" comment (as well as the other ones) was spot on. Been there. Done that.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: paco664 on March 05, 2015, 01:30:27 am
Me personally. ..

Still there doing that. .. lol
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: TimBo on March 05, 2015, 10:32:42 am
Yeah, Mr. Sleek has pretty much summed it up.
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: George Tsoukalas on March 05, 2015, 11:47:07 am
Looks like you got under there with some sandpaper. Been there.

Here's what I would do. I'd get it out of there. Starting from the nock end I'd knife it off. Looks like it is splintering into the nock becasue the grain is going that way so go the other way.

Adjust the nock accordingly. Remove wood from the other side and reshape.

Time to round off all 4 sides with a scraper-like tool and sandpaper.

Jawge


Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: Parnell on March 05, 2015, 11:49:51 am
You could also consider a single side nock design also...just a thought. 
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on March 05, 2015, 12:46:58 pm
And that's why your a teacher Steve O! Smart, smart, smart!
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: Parnell on March 05, 2015, 01:03:02 pm
No doubt.  It's why I get paid the big bucks, my friend. ;D
Title: Re: Am I screwed?
Post by: CrazyHorse1969 on March 05, 2015, 02:55:00 pm
I salvaged the limb. I am in the progress of SLOWLY tillering to my draw length right now. So it is still a bow...for now.