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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Bruce Prosser on March 14, 2009, 09:27:00 PM

Title: First bow
Post by: Bruce Prosser on March 14, 2009, 09:27:00 PM

Hello All,

I just finished my first bow this week made from a board stave of ash (not sure which kind). It draws 50 @ 28, wide limbs (1.75) and 66 inches long and unbacked. I have put about 400 arrows through it so far and today I heard CREEEEKKKK PING! and immediately instrung it and inspected the limbs. On the bottom right limb edge about 1 inch from the riser there is a lift/crack about two small matchsticks wide and about 1/2 inch long.

Question: Do I now have kindling, or in the community's opinion is it fixable. I am willing to have a less draw weight bow for plinking or for a nephew, but would like to keep my first one.

Thanks, Bruce  :(

Title: Re: First bow
Post by: Pat B on March 14, 2009, 11:19:00 PM

Can you narrow the limb and eliminate the splinter?  Or you can super glue it down and add a thread wrap around that area.

Title: Re: First bow
Post by: Andrew Wesley on March 15, 2009, 12:30:00 AM

i would try to flex the limb a little and get super glue under that crack, then wrap it tightly w/ silk or raw hide.

i had a hickory board bow do that to me and the silk worked fine.

goodluck!

Title: Re: First bow
Post by: Bruce Prosser on March 15, 2009, 09:36:00 AM

Thanks, I never thought about super glue. I thought that I would have to narrow the limbs and pretty much retiller the bow. I will try the glue first though. I have a Locktite product that I think will work just fine and then wrap it with some slik thread/string.

Thanks again and I will let you know how it turns out.

Bruce

Title: Re: First bow
Post by: Dano on March 15, 2009, 11:23:00 AM

Sounds like grain runout to me, you could back the bow with rawhide, silk, or such, but I would get another board. Narrowing the bow may not eliminate the runout.