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Bow Post Mortem Requested
Hamish:
You could try backing one with clear, straight grained maple, 1/8" to 3/16 thick".
Its still a risk, as Eric mentioned the differing hardness between the grain could lead to chrysals. Its one of those things you won't know until you try. I have seen bow wood with moderate curl used successfully, and others that go bang, or chrysal.
Wider limbs always helps reduce the stress.
If you can get some gun stocks out of your other wood, awesome. Otherwise you could successfully use figured material for laminations under clear glass, in a fg bow. Small pieces you could sell on Ebay as spoon blanks, walking stick/cane blanks. Firewood as a last resort, for such beautiful wood.
superdav95:
--- Quote from: Hamish on July 11, 2023, 10:46:35 pm ---
You could try backing one with clear, straight grained maple, 1/8" to 3/16 thick".
Its still a risk, as Eric mentioned the differing hardness between the grain could lead to chrysals. Its one of those things you won't know until you try. I have seen bow wood with moderate curl used successfully, and others that go bang, or chrysal.
Wider limbs always helps reduce the stress.
If you can get some gun stocks out of your other wood, awesome. Otherwise you could successfully use figured material for laminations under clear glass, in a fg bow. Small pieces you could sell on Ebay as spoon blanks, walking stick/cane blanks. Firewood as a last resort, for such beautiful wood.
--- End quote ---
Agreed. It would be a shame to see such beautiful wood burned. Figured maple makes great knife blade handle scales or hidden tang block handles.
ShorterJ:
Seems strange that the break was completely perpendicular to the bow instead of splintering parallel with the grain. I had some hickory break like that once and decided that the wood was bad. Both bows I made with that tree broke, and the one that broke like this didn’t even make to brace.
Hamish:
With fiddleback grain , you get long grain and cross grain . The cross grain is weaker in tension and compression, that's the focus of the break and why it looks as it does. Nevertheless you can still get similar looking breaks in straight grained wood from a comprehensive tension failure, especially when the wood is too dry or contains decay.
Jim Davis:
I think the wider/longer thinner approach has a good chance to work. Here's a wavy hornbeam bow that worked well.
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