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Progress on Apple wood bow

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superdav95:

--- Quote from: Hamish on August 14, 2023, 06:17:04 pm ---Trying to get a 40lbs bow @ 26" was always going to be a tough ask, with only 55" of length and stiff handle and tips.
 Some guys might be able to pull it off, unbacked. I doubt I could, unless sinew backed.

Your craftsmanship looked good. You just need to give yourself a bit more of a margin for success.

--- End quote ---

+1 for me. That sucks about your bow.  Get yourself a good stave and you will see a big difference.  You have a great attitude for learning and recognition of the learning curve despite your bow breaking.  Sometimes we learn more from our breaks then the ones that don’t break!   Keep at it.  🙂 

Lost Oki:
Well, maybe all is not lost.  When I first started on this bow, stripping the bark off back in early winter, I had violated the first layer and had taken it down to the 2nd layer.  I had done a basic shape and set it aside to dry.  On taking a closer look at the crack, it peeled back and it doesn't look to go any deeper.  So, at this point it appears that the crack is in the softer layer between rings(?).  I pulled that piece back, added pressure to the limb and did not see any further cracking.  I have most of it scraped off in this area but have a lot more to remove in spots along the back of the bow.  Fingers crossed, hope I am right. 
Now, rereading comments, I have a stiff handle, based on the u tube videos I need to thin the handle area down to about half the thickness??

Hamish:
If you are going to thin the handle, do it progressively as part of the tillering process. Don't just remove it in one go and hope you get it right by luck.

Aaron1726:
Hope this one works out for you.  I'm a rookie bowyer too and just got some apple that's drying now and I had the thought that I wondered how your apple bow was going since it had been a while since you posted about it.  I'm following along and learning too as i prepare to dive into mine once they season.  Again, good luck on this one, it looks good so far to me, hopefully your fix works.

Lost Oki:
Hamish, thanks for the guidance, I will do that.
Aaron, so far so good, I scraped the soft wood off and crack disappeared, just got to clean up the rest of the bow.  Not sure where you are at on your apple wood bow but the best advice I have had on working apple wood is "don't try to split it, cut it.  I tried one limb and it definitely does not work.  Also, grain is crazy, trying to shape with a draw knife was not fun.  Once I got a rough shape it was scraper and rasp.

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