Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: sailordad on March 01, 2008, 05:19:37 pm
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well not having a good day so far today.i was scraping my limbs to today and put the tillering string on and put it on the stick.
i was excersing the limbs after scraping,thought things were going my way when i heard one of the most terrible sounds ever, " CRAAAACK" :'( >:(
oh s*#t i thought. took the bow off the tiller stick and found this not so pretty sight. now i have to ask all the experts here,whos opinions are so valued by us newbies.
can this be fixed, or did i just spend the last 6 1/2 weeks making fancy fire wood. the fracture is just below midlimb about 5 inches above the whoopde-do.
any input would be very appreciated.
(http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/1145/1000356ue4.jpg)
thank you all very much.
PEACE,
Tim
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What kind of wood is it? I assume that it should be pretty fixable with some Titebond and a cloth/silk backing.
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the guy that gave it to me said that it was shag bark hickory,i can tell its hickory but cant tell the diff between them.
if not fixable would any be willing to part with a stave? i was looking into Osage but after this mishap,i think I'll stick to hickory or something easy like that until i get more experience.
i am sure we could work something out for stave.
PEACE,
Tim
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It smells real good BBQing ribs. :-\ :'(
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I am soo bummed, this would have been my first bow that wasn't a purchesed floor tillerd stave. oh well i guess its like they say, live and learn if dont shoot it will burn.lol
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Glue and silk (or linen or any cloth) should fix it right up. Hickory likes to be bows ;D.
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Is that on the back? Was the back grain violated? How did the guy store it after it was cut? Hickory in very strong in tension. I have used hickory backing strips with lots of violations and never had one fail. That is what makes me think it wasn't treated properly after harvest. I would put it in the corner for now and after a few successful bows, pull it out and decide then. If nothing else it could make a kids bow. Pat
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Pat B,
yes the fracture is on the back,the back grain does not look violated,the fracture did not go to either edge.
I don't know how it was treated after harvest,there is s a pin knot right where if fractured. the guy that gave me this stave has made several bows from the same tree this came from,flat bow,long bow and a take down bow,all of which are beautiful and great shooters.
i would put it in the corner and try another,except this is the only one i have to work on.
don't have access to trees to cut,a friend had given me an 8 foot hhb log. when split it had severe grain twist,like 120 degrees.
so i guess its off the fabric store,or I'll have to order another floor tillered stave to play with.
thank you.
PEACE,
Tim
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Done. Fireplace wood as is the tillering stick. Think about putting together a rope and pulley. Easier on the bowyer and the bow. Mine is on my site. See Bow Making Directions. Jawge
http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/archer.html
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As mullet said smoke some ribs and move on. Also take Jawges advice and build a tillering tree.
Sorry about the break but it does happen and is all part of the adventure.
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thanks for the replies everyone.
i don't think i'll use for smoking ribs just yet. i'll leave it sit in the proverbial "CORNER OF SHAME" for now.
like ive read on here many times "every try should be a learning experience"
from this i learned to be patient. i have also learned that it is soothing to work on wood. and its also kept my butt away from the t.v. at night.(except friday nights,thats my sci-fi night)
now if'n i was to try and save this. should i fill the fracture with tb3 and wrap it with an innertube,and then put on a linen backing,should i make the back smooth,as it does have bumps and knots sticking up. or try to put the backing material over all the cool stuff and just try to get all the air bubbles and wrinkles out of the material.
i really wanted this to work out as it was going to be a gift for my youngest son before he leaves for boot camp,but i guess i'll still have time to make another,if i find a stave,as he doesn't leave until september.
thanks again to all for the input.
PEACE,
Tim
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Sorry about your bow,I've got one of those corners of shame also.
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If I was going to try and salvage it; I'd run the back through a planer till it was through the break completely. Then I'd back it with bamboo or hickory.
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If I was going to try and salvage it; I'd run the back through a planer till it was through the break completely. Then I'd back it with bamboo or hickory.
I second this....I have saved a few doing this....I bought a Hand Power Planer just for this task....and it works good....then back it with Hickory....glue it up and start Tillering again.....
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If it were Osage I’d tell you to glue it with Resorcinol or Urac 185 then wrap the broken area with sinew. Seeing as it is hickory, and I have little experience with that type of wood, you would be best advised to listen to those above. However, being hard headed, I’d still do it my way. ;)
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Back it like Eddie said.
Sometimes plane "B" ends up being the best one..
Rich
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Backing makes sense, if for no other reason than it inspires tenacity in the bowyer. Sometimes you need a good dose of "it ain't over till I says it's over" to get through some of the early, or more challenging, projects.
But it's also important for a budding selfbowyer to aggressively seek source material. Be resourceful, dilligent, creative and don't give up until you have a nice pile (5 or 10) pieces you can fall back upon for future projects. If it's any guidance, being in the game 8 or 9 years and having slowed to 5 or 6 bows a year, I probably have enough wood products for 100 projects, and I'm not exaggerating. This aspect of the game is nearly as fun as the building actually, at least for me. Chances are there's sources for bow wood all around you. A $20 bow saw, an axe maybe, hell even just a little hatchet, find yourself a site where they are clearing land for development in your area and, shazame, bow wood galore. You gotta get that primitive man's point of view, tunnel vision, as if your next meal depended upon it.
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Being a crack on the back I would not try a glue up and sinew wrap. You can always cut the bad limb off and splice in a new one if you really want to save this particular bow.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/limbreplacement5.jpg)
DCM has it right, collect a bunch of material for the future. I keep at least 10 staves in a holding pattern in my shop. Dry, rings chased on the back, some heat corrected and ready for my next project.
Osage cutting is addictive. I find it like searching for hidden treasure. I have so much stockpiled I will never have to cut again in my lifetime.
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A broken bow, is a broken bow. When you break stuff, you learn something. I wouldn't spend anymore time on it. You could spend many more hours, and end up in the same place you are now. Spend your time making something new!
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Tim,
If you decide not to plane this down and back it....what are yougoing to do for a Stave??? PM me...or email me at my email address in my Personal info......I may be able to help you out with a seasoned stave....
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thanks everyone for your input.
i think I'll put it in the corner for inspiration.
i have a couple of offers from the nice people here to help me acquire another stave.
this time of year there really isn't any development land being cleared around my area to try and acquire wood from,although that idea has crossed my mind for spring.
i am also going to talk with some tree removal companies and the local city parks department forestry division about trees when i see them cutting down elm etc.
i really appreciate all the input. and yes this was a learing experience for me and it is the kind of challenge that i live for so i think i'll be doing this for some time to come.
i don't want to be couch potato and this helps me get my butt of of the sofa. i also dont want to make thousands of bows just some for me the wife and my boys to shoot and hunt with and maybe afew to help turn the neighborhood kids onto something other than video games.
thanks again to all and PEACE,
Tim
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Tim, you can't make just one or two. I have one bow of my own making for shooting. I keep giving them away ;D
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kinda like lays potato chips then,nobody can stop at just one. lol :D :D
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Tim, you can't make just one or two. I have one bow of my own making for shooting. I keep giving them away ;D
I have two Closets full....and have given half of what I made away.....but I am not Addicted.......you'll never get Me to admit that!!!! I can quit any time >:D
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Sorry but I would say fire wood,Man have to have fire also. :)
Pappy