Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: cool_98_555 on November 20, 2016, 11:46:19 pm
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Hello everyone,
I've got a great bow in the works here. Osage snakey bow, 68" and 1 1/8" wide. Currently it is 7/8" thick on the limbs and it is just ready for tillering (lined the tips up today). Problem is, I found this hairline crack on one side of one limb and i'm not sure if it will pose a problem when I start tillering. I have filled it with superglue, but i've never had a crack in this kind of spot before. Crack runs about 6 inches down the limb. Check the pictures and please let me know what you think.
Thank you!
http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/cool98555/media/IMG_1029_zpsyiybtfvo.jpg.html
http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/cool98555/media/IMG_1028_zpsgxczna9i.jpg.html
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I'm sorry to say this but that crack is a game changer.It'll most surely break there.It runs to the edge.It's not running in the growth ring so it is'nt a luminar seperation in the growth ring.You can try it on the tillering tree but the outlook is'nt very good.Sorry.
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Oh no.....:( What a shame to hear something like that....put so many hours into shaping this bow already and the snakey profile on this one is just beautiful....
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If its a total loss anyway, you could chase-out the crack and see how much width is left - may be enough for a different design of bow - may be a snakey short-bow in there? How far along the limb is it - near enough the centre to cut it out and splice it back together to get a short bow, or splice in a handle to put some length back in?
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If nothing else, you could cut that limb off and save the other to splice a new piece on at the handle.
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I'm seeing 2 things there. One that runs down the limb and seems to be following a growth ring and the other that goes across.
If you are talking about the one that runs down the limb then unless you want to make an 80# bow then 7/8" thick is quite thick. I would run some thin crazy glue in the crack while clamping it and then start working it down a bit, using a shallow D profile, to see how much of the crack disappears
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cool...Yes that's a good idea fix.I'm sorry I sounded so gloom and doom.there is a good chance your bow can make it yet.
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looks like the crack might go away as suggested,, that crack will dictate the possible draw weight of the bow,,,but sometimes those things turn out better than expected,, :)
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When you remove the crack, either use a drawknife or a knife and whittle it out to at least see how far in it goes.
In the diagram go from the top down...thick part down.
Jawge
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I can't remove any more width from the bow. It's already at 1 1/8", which is narrow enough. From the crack to the back of the bow it is 5/8", so I think I might just take some more wood off to start with 5/8" thick for the limbs. I probably won't be able to get 80# like I originally wanted with this bow, but it's better to have a bow that shoots than a broken one I suppose, even if it is lighter than I originally wanted. I suppose I can pike it later too to increase the weight if it survives. It's at 68" now and I have a 29" draw so I could probably afford to take it down to 66" and still be ok....
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if you want 80# ,, you could always sinew back, ,after you get it floor tillered,, or braced,,
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Do you know how it happened? Were you bending the bow sideways at that point? It's time to attach blame >:D >:D so you don't do the same thing on the next one. ;D
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The crack was there when I got the stave, and when I tried to narrow it to avoid thd crack, it was still present
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UPDATE: Just took the bow down to 5/8" thick on the limbs to avoid the crack, and there is no more crack on the bow! There was also a crack perpendicular to the rings, and I scraped that off without losing too much limb width. Bow is a little lighter, so I think i'll be piking it from 68" to 64" tonight, then starting on the tillering if string is still aligned through the center. Wish me luck!
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great news, sounds like there is a bow in there,, :)