Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: stuckinthemud on December 20, 2016, 04:46:20 pm
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Evening all,
this is my bendy-handle apple twisty sliver project - it splintered off a bigger stave and had crazy grain, twisting every way so I spent a good while with steam and dry heat to untwist it - mostly I just wanted to practice my straightening technique and eventually I got it pretty close - string aligned for tips and handle when this happened. (https://stuckinthemudsite.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/dscf3770-e1482266752130.jpg)
(https://stuckinthemudsite.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/dscf3769-e1482266702464.jpg)
According to the mass calculator I am currently 8oz over the 12oz target mass, haven't got a long string on it yet but there is also a hinge 1/4 of the way in from one tip. I did wonder about cutting it down hard for a short sinew bow - current length is 67". Biggest problem is that the split looks to extend at least 6" along the belly beyond the open crack - so it may be as much as 12" long
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I'd start another and warm your shop with that one.
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I agree with Pearly. That split goes off the edge of the limb. That's bad news. Plus it has a hinge. Maybe you could narrow it to remove that crack and make a kids bow out of it.
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A kids bow is an option - mid 20s at 24" would be fine; would cast suffer with such long limbs? Am concerned at the crack moving to mid way across the belly though
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I would narrow it so that you remove that crack. If it goes to much towards the center it's firewood.
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Think its already there 😢 what's the best way to chase the split -rasp it out or go for broke, opening it with a chisel?
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looks pretty bad,, but one never knows :)
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I would use a coarse rasp to remove it. If you try to split it out it could go deeper. How wide is your limb? It doesn't take much width to make a 20 lb kid bow.
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A big part of what we do as bowyers is solve problems.
You could remove the split with a drawknife, stuckinthemud.
Be careful.
Approach into the main part of the split so as not to extend it. Do that on both sides. That's what I would do and have done many a time with drying cracks.
In fact, I just did it on a hickory stave.
You may end up with a lighter bow than you wanted. Maybe not if you have enough thickness.
Jawge
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Superglue+C-clamp+thread binding=fix. Albeit, you'll have a hard time tillering it with a binding on there and you'll never fully trust it. But, in the nature of being a creative problem solver, I'd give it a shot and at least learn from it.
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I would rasp it out and see what I had left to work with, then decide, but it would have to go if it were mine. :)
Pappy
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Thanks guys, as its a bend handle, I don't think I can risk a repair, but maybe I will rasp it down and see what's left before I burn it as there nothing too lose
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I'd glue it. I've had very similar cracks running off the side of elm bows. One in particular looked identical to that, and I glued it and ignored it. It's now still shooting at around 115lb with no problems.
You'll never fully trust it, but that makes each shot all the more exciting.
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Yes I would glue it down then tiller it out and if it holds together to near full draw then I would bind it.
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Any tips on how to get the glue to penetrate to the very end of the split
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Rasp it out and retiller, follow the grain lines. If the bow has a crown or rounded belly it may not have much effect on the weight. Maybe shorten up the draw a few inches.
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Use thin crazy glue, it should work its way to the ends. Clamp hard
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I would do like Marc said, warming up with the heat gun before applying the glue helps.
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I'm with Marc. This is exactly how twisted grain splits when you try too hard to twist it straight, and apple usually twists. Just happened to me on a BL stave with rollercoaster wobbles and some snakes. I was trying to coax the limbs into approximately the same plane at the fadeouts, but the thicker handle section split a lot like that, and lifted in two kitty corner spots on the belly side.
I'd glue it down with the strongest glue you have access to, and keep going cautiously. If the split was close to the grip, you may consider gluing down the splinter, flattening belly side, and adding another little slat to stiffen the handle a bit.
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Superglue will just soak right into the wood because it is so viscous, but if you also tilt it in the direction you want it to go and then clamp it for a bit, it will set fine. Also, like I said, bind it after you get near the max range for your tiller. Use thin nylon thread and bind it tight. If there is an issue with the bind throwing off your tiller, do a mirror bind on the opposite limb. That is how the Taiwanese aboriginals fix their bows when they split like that...and they do split like that a lot because the wood they use is so incredibly thin ringed and snakey that it is next to impossible to get through making a bow without some minor splitting going on. The wood (Orange Jessamine) also checks like crazy, but still makes a hell of a good bow wood and binds looks pretty unique if you get the right string.