Trad Gang

Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Msturm on April 26, 2017, 05:14:00 PM

Title: sawed one in half today...
Post by: Msturm on April 26, 2017, 05:14:00 PM
I have been working for the past few weeks on real slim snakey guava bow at 67 in tip to tip 66 nock to nock. Real pretty bow, took well to heat bending and straightening, held its reflex well.  I went to string it up today to finish up tillering and as I was warming it up I heard the dreaded TICK!

DAMN IT!  

I kept it at brace height and looked it over, sure enough it lifted a splinter right were I thought it might. at a bug damage hole. Anyway. here are some pics after I cut it up.

One limb: (http://i.imgur.com/THVBOyR.jpg)

The other: (http://i.imgur.com/p6QDsR9.jpg)

Top of the cracked limb: (http://i.imgur.com/GPVfy0t.jpg)

The bug damage that led to the crack! (http://i.imgur.com/IiEPQyp.jpg)

Here I drew a line so you can tell better where the splinter is... (http://i.imgur.com/pCR1sIj.png)

Well off to a new stave...  I can knock out a bow successfully if I am making one for me. But make one for somone who did me a favor and.... well this is my 2nd stave to not make it...
Title: Re: sawed one in half today...
Post by: Msturm on April 26, 2017, 05:17:00 PM
In the past I have filled these holes with epoxy and rounded them out a bit on the edges and not had a problem with them... who knows. probably best to not use wood with a violated back to begin with....


Going to try to get some knife scales out of them or something...

 (http://i.imgur.com/fpEiajq.jpg)
Msturm
Title: Re: sawed one in half today...
Post by: Mad Max on April 26, 2017, 05:27:00 PM
I don't know anything about that wood, but It looks like to me that the back needed to be smoothed out before bending.

Bummer
Title: Re: sawed one in half today...
Post by: Dan Landis on April 26, 2017, 09:52:00 PM
Mike, I had one do the same thing for me a few weeks ago.  Sawed it in half, made a sleeve and a new bottom limb, now it's a two piece.  If you have a billet of the same wood, it's a way to salvage the bow.
Title: Re: sawed one in half today...
Post by: Msturm on April 27, 2017, 04:26:00 AM
Yeah Max the back is a bit rough... the pieces may have been banged around on some things and swore at prior to the taking of this picture.   Im going to burn a section and see how the semi charred area works for knife scales..


Dan- I will keep that in mind for the next one!  this one has been used as giant drumsticks.

Msturm
Title: Re: sawed one in half today...
Post by: Pat B on April 27, 2017, 08:56:00 AM
I had 2 guava staves that Manny sent me from Hawaii. One made a great bow, the other had quite a few of these small holes in it so I never did anything with it. I don't know if the holes came from Hawaii or originated here. I know a few other guys that had guava staves that had holes like these. They are small like powder post beetle holes.
Title: Re: sawed one in half today...
Post by: Msturm on April 27, 2017, 02:34:00 PM
I am not sure if it happened while it was drying or if it was while the tree was still standing. I won't be using wood with holes in it any more!
Title: Re: sawed one in half today...
Post by: Roy from Pa on April 27, 2017, 03:01:00 PM
Don't feel bad, I've cut a few up myself.
Title: Re: sawed one in half today...
Post by: YosemiteSam on April 27, 2017, 03:01:00 PM
Dreadfully disappointing.  You have more self control than I to be using a saw to chop it.  Mine are usually met with some form of brute force and profanity.
Title: Re: sawed one in half today...
Post by: Roy from Pa on April 27, 2017, 03:02:00 PM
No, say it isn't so.
LMFAO