lowell, I hope you don't mind but here are some comments.. First, you laid the last bow out without following the vertical grain. That is the major reason why the bow cracked. The first thing I do is draw a line down the center of the limbs FOLLOWING (not yelling. caps for emphasis. LOL) that vertical grain. Look closely at the stave. You'll see that grain and it runs nock to nock. In that last picture you laid the stave out going to the right side. You missed the crown or the vertical grain. Second, resist the temptation to pike a character stave. The limbs are under more stress than in a straight staved bow. Piking increases the stress obviously because you've shortened the limbs. I would have gone LONGER than usual with both stave by an inch or 2. Third, any heating done on a character stave SHOULD be corrective in nature. The limbs are already under stress; reflexing and recurving compounds that stress. Belly tempering to raise weight is out of the question. Same reason. Fourth, forgot what I was going to say. Oh ya.
Even though you had a dip in one of those limbs that area still has to do its share of the work. It's gotta bend in an arc. With your eyes try to draw a best fit curve through that limb. Fifth, look at the tiller from both sides. Often a little adjusting is needed. Sixth, forget about getting that picture perfect tiller that you see on lam bows. It ain't happening (bad grammar for emphasis) on a character stave. Rather pay attention to how the stave feels as you shoot it. Note the handle pressure as you draw and let down. Note it as you shoot. Is it even or is one limb tipping? I've always maintained that if you learn from a mistake your effort is not wasted. You've got a great attitude. Keep it up. Here's an applicable buildalong.
Jawge
http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/seneca.html
