Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Fox on January 18, 2021, 01:32:05 pm
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....first low brace.... Boom..... *sigh* :(
-Fox
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You hate to see it. Sorry bud. I had a thin ring Osage bow explode into 5 pieces a few years back at the classic. Sometimes it just isn’t meant to be.
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That is a bad break for both you,and the bow. Build them long enough ,and that will happen. Pick yourself up,dust yourself off,and start all over again. Over the years I have broken more than my share of bows for one reason, or another including sinew backed Osage if you can believe that. I feel bad for you in that Osage can be hard to come by.
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Sorry about that. Can you tell why or where the break initiated? Might help prevent it the next time.
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yep its the sad sad part of making bows... I can't figure what happened , no hinge, I thought I did plenty good of a job chasing a ring. maybe it was too dry, or some unforeseen flaw in the wood,\ (--)
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What is that wood's history? That break is to stair-stepped for my liking. All the sound wood I've broken has splintered on the back. On that piece it looks like the whole ring broke at one spot. Is there any chance the wood had some dry rot or other decay?
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Sicking moment for sure. I was final tillering a bow with my dad watching and it exploded. but it was just red oak. I am in process of building an Osage bow though, trying to do my best as well. wishing you the best if and when you start another one. For a lot of us, Osage is like gold and hard to come by.
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Yes osage is certainly like gold to me... it did not have any rot, the staves were handled well... one thought was too dry... it has been in my house which is usually around 20-30% humidity from the wood stove.
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heating bow,,in dry winter conditions, can make it break,, or bring the moisture content dangerously low,,
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Well I heated it but two weeks ago, figured that'd be plenty enough time for it to rehydrate, maybe not though?
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Equilibrium would be at 4.5-6% MC for that low of humidity and temp of 70F.
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I have heard that Osage needs more moisture than other woods like oak, and elm, is this true?
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im not saying that broke it,, but something to consider,, but bows are more likely to fail when moisture content too low,, It might not re hydrate in low moisture condidtions,, I have a moisture meter and my bows were getting below 8 %,, so i sprayed the bow I was working on to get it up to 10,,% cause I have broken bows and then measured them and they were 6%,, I asked Mark ST Lous about heat treating a bow in low moisture climate,,, and he said dont on that particular bow,,,, so I am just careful and take it into considreation,,
Im just saying maybe you didnt do anything wrong the moisture content got you,,
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Sorry for your loss.
I’m just curious. You didn’t heat the back of bow by any chance? In case you didn’t know. Never heat the back . Only the belly.
Bjrogg
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Yep thanks bradsmith, I’m thinking it is mc that got me.... yeah I didn’t heat the back brjogg (lol) I had a locust bow pop a splinter the other day... I think it’s just too dry in here... going to have to start keeping the bows and staves in the shop I suppose...
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That always hurts deep in your guts. At least it wasn’t a finished bow that you was shooting in, those breaks are harder for me to take. I know lots of folks buy staves, some have no choice, but this is why I won’t buy them. It’s a hard enough hit to watch something you’ve spent several hours of your time on blow apart, but when it takes a 50 dollar bill or more with it it would be down right painful for me. There are woods that I’d really like to work with that I would have to buy, but I don’t gamble with money.
Good luck on your next one bud.
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That looks pretty thick for a bracing...at least the close up does. I can't tell how thick the limbs are from the full on shot.
When you brace a bow it should be 10-15# over final draw weight.
Jawge
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Better than a busted lip. Been there. Looks like wood been over cooked some? Sometimes for no good reason one will go bang. Cut bad lib off finger joint a new one in it and yer cooking with grease again.
Shawn~
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So far I haven't blown more than $20 in any single bow, but I have a $40 Ipe board and a $15 hickory backing that I want to put together. I'll have to be very carful with that one :)
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I had one do the same thing recently. Not sure but I think it was due to rotten early wood. I think it failed from the middle out. Arvin
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I'm telling y'all, this osage stuff is trash. Every piece I ever worked was infested with bugs, black rot, and weird little dots. I seldom see anyone using a piece that doesn't look like the grain is pointing in 20 different directions, and the stave full of knots.
What gives? Osage in this condition is not gonna perform better than a perfectly straight, clean, knotless piece of spruce. I'd rather make a clean bow out of quality wood than a crooked Osage bow with knots. Some people would be content to make a bow out of Osage charcoal.
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Tom, I’ll always love Osage. Especially the knotty twisty character staves, but the fact is sometimes Osage can be too challenging for any new bowyer... but a twisty wiggly knotty Osage bow certainly has good medicine, just requires more skill. And it will definitely shoot just as good as any straight stave...
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I mean look at weylins ;D that is a true masterpiece out of some serous crazy Osage ...it has the dots and speckles in it as well, which I don’t think really compromise the wood.
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Fox,,Sorry to read about your bow. I can feel your pain. I blew up 2 bows in a week. Your right about osage. I can't leave it alone either. I enjoy the challenge and feel it makes me a better bowyer.
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I seen some nice osage,, :D
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Osage is a beautiful wood and like all woods, can have imperfections deep within out of sight. I pretty much love it, when a bow is made that is a good bow, it is a good bow. For me, I have always loved the color of the Osage wood. While I would like to try other woods like black locust and others, Osage is my favorite. I figure that I am fully capable of ruining any wood, no matter how good it may have looked but I am tryiing very hard to do a better job at it. Besides, my father's ancestors used Osage a lot and that is good enough for me.
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I have a bow I made with Jim Hamm bout 25 years ago,, it still shoots great,, it will probably outlast me, once a good osage bow is made, it will really hold up, and in the harshest conditions,,this bow went to africa Argentina ,,and British Colombia,, just to name a few,, the airlines broke the case and it came down the convier belt butt naked,,,,so thats one of the reasons its a favorite,, other bows will shoot as well or sometimes better, but for durabuility,,its hard to beat,,just saying there are reasaons so many like it,, if you want a good straight piece, it can be found, might have to cut it yourself, or pay a high price, :)