Hairline cracks when heat/steam bending?

[bradsmith2010]

two months is not that long,, if you dont have a moisture meter you are just guessing,, and thats ok,,if it will still make a bow proceed,, no way to go back. even bows that are years old hold too much moisture and will check,,

[Marin]

Oh okay, I guess I only ever prictured that with things as hard as hickory and osage. Yeah then, I guess it could still be a little green in this spot, but nothing we can do now. but I guess ya'll are saying this won't hurt the bow, just fill it in with hide glue or something and it should be fine it seems

[Kidder]

I think you’ve actually nailed it down - they appeared after you did heat corrections. Even when using moist heat you still tend to be driving moisture out of the wood. These are almost certainly your typical drying checks - just caused by you instead of simply observed by you. Treat them as noted above - thin CA. Good luck!

[Marin]

I’m sorry but I’m not always good with terminology - what do you mean by thin CA? I was intending to fill it in with hide glue but I’m not sure what you mean by CA.

[bentstick54]

CA - Cyanaoacrylate Super Glue of some kind. Very thin ( wicking).

[Kidder]

CA - Cyanaoacrylate Super Glue of some kind. Very thin ( wicking).

Yeah. I’m a big fan of the hot stuff thin ca by satellite city. You touch the tip your work piece and a single drop runs down the entire piece up the other side, climbs your sleeve, around your shoulder and before you know it it’s glued your shoe to the floor!

[Marin]

Will that do anything weird for adhesion of the sinew  at that spot?

[Marin]

On another note, I got the bow benindg more and tillering it just a little bit before I put the sinew on. I noticed that the crack I saw on the belly is a bit deeper than  I thought, and at this thickness it's still quite visible. It's very very small in width, so much so I can't really even see a gap, but it's also quite long and goes for 3 inches or so. Even though it looks a bit prominent, it should be "bad" for the bow, right?The belly is still only going to be under compression so it ideally shouldn't grow (at least after the sinew fully dries). Can I also fill in this crack with the CA you guys mentioned?

[bentstick54]

I will let someone with more knowledge address that question, but if I am not mistaken, the is another one just to the left @nd a little lower than the one you’re asking about. Inspect it under good light for more. I am still under the opinion that there was/is still to much moisture in the wood.

[Kidder]

Will that do anything weird for adhesion of the sinew  at that spot?

It shouldn’t. You’ll sand it off the outside before applying the sinew. The only area that should be left will be actually in the crack.

[Marin]

Not really sure what the second crack you are talking about is. I’ve been observing this belly for a while and I haven’t observed another one. Even just went to examine it and didn’t see the second crack. It seems this is the only one on the belly (one on the back hasn’t grown luckily).
Yeah I guess the wood is still relatively wet, but how long must I wait? Reading the old accounts of these bows, it seems like they were shaped and even backed with the week. I didn’t do that, but I thought at least two months would have been enough. Do you guys think I need to let this one season another month or something?

[bentstick54]

It’s hard to tell from the photo, so it could be a grain line, but thought it was worth a closer inspection.

[Marin]

Yeah I saw that too. It’s just a tool mark, sorry the lighting was kinda bad

[bradsmith2010]

your good proceed,,

[superdav95]

I would put thin ca glue to it and continue as stated already.  As for the back I would stick with the hide glue and sinew to soak down into any voids to strengthen and add power to the bow.  Best of luck.