Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: mikebarg on September 29, 2016, 01:20:35 pm

Title: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: mikebarg on September 29, 2016, 01:20:35 pm
One of my bows developed a small crack last week so I started a new one this past Saturday. Well, I was starting to thin down the limbs with my draw knife and it caught the grain and pulled out a piece about 6 inches long . Now the tip is too thin. Not a good week for my bows.
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: wizardgoat on September 29, 2016, 01:27:10 pm
Never use a draw knife unless your 100% sure of which way the grain is flowing.
Even if your sure, tear outs happen pretty easy.
A rasp and scraper are much safer, better luck on the next one
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: PatM on September 29, 2016, 01:28:27 pm
When it starts diving in you're supposed to stop.. You can very easily underlay and thicken it again though.
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: bow101 on September 29, 2016, 01:29:15 pm
You need a good fade transition and glue on a 1/8" tapered lam on the back about 12- 14" long
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: PatM on September 29, 2016, 01:37:51 pm
You need a good fade transition and glue on a 1/8" tapered lam on the back about 12- 14" long

  Belly works better I would think.
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: mikebarg on September 29, 2016, 01:49:48 pm
I might shorten it a bit and make a light weight kids bow from it . But, I'm going to put it aside for now and look for a new board to start again.
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: bow101 on September 29, 2016, 01:54:56 pm
You need a good fade transition and glue on a 1/8" tapered lam on the back about 12- 14" long

  Belly works better I would think.

Good point but the back works for me,  Bubby does the back lam as well.. most pronounced R/D bows are built that way usually having 2 colored lams.
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: Badger on September 29, 2016, 01:59:57 pm
  Are you using bevel down on your draw knife? On oak I have had better luck using spoke shaves. They take a little practice but once you get going they are great.
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: PatM on September 29, 2016, 02:19:48 pm
You need a good fade transition and glue on a 1/8" tapered lam on the back about 12- 14" long

  Belly works better I would think.

Good point but the back works for me,  Bubby does the back lam as well.. most pronounced R/D bows are built that way usually having 2 colored lams.

  Are you sure you're not talking about a power lam?
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: bow101 on September 29, 2016, 03:01:33 pm
always thought a power ;D lam was sandwiched......................
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: Jim Davis on September 29, 2016, 03:32:26 pm
+2 on adding to the back. No worry there about a perfect tapered transition. Just work the area to make it flat, glue on your replacement wood, then thin it with rasp and scraper as noted above.

Jim Davis
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: PatM on September 29, 2016, 04:25:34 pm
always thought a power ;D lam was sandwiched......................

   Sure but you mentioned "pronounced R/D" and I've never seen a one foot overlay on any bow tip, certainly not TWO of them.
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: FilipT on September 29, 2016, 04:50:56 pm
If you use draw knife for everything like I do, try to always go with the grain, never against it. But if you must go against it at some places, let it be short draws.
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: mikebarg on September 29, 2016, 06:23:00 pm
I need to slow down and not be so aggressive with the draw knife. I'll try to use the rasp and sander more.

Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: George Tsoukalas on September 29, 2016, 08:02:35 pm
Yes, always with the grain even if you have to turn around. More on my site. Jawge
http://traditionalarchery101.com/
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: scp on September 29, 2016, 08:12:40 pm
For board bows, a small block plane would be much better.
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: Pappy on September 30, 2016, 06:51:26 am
Like WGoat said, rasp is much safer, maybe a little slower, not sure on that but much safer. ;)
 Pappy
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: stuckinthemud on September 30, 2016, 06:16:55 pm
Nice sharp hand plane set fine works as well
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: mullet on September 30, 2016, 10:15:59 pm
Working wood like that, which I try to avoid, with a Draw knife I use the blade of a straight knife at a 90dg angle to the wood and pull like a big Cabinet Scraper. You can roll off some big curls doing this and not worry about digging in.
Title: Re: red oak bow, draw knife fail
Post by: bubby on September 30, 2016, 11:51:40 pm
Yeah what mullet said. Also with a quality sharp farriers easp i can reduce the limb thickness in about 10-15 mins a limb