Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Youngboyer2(billyf) on January 27, 2012, 12:59:46 pm

Title: First question/new around here
Post by: Youngboyer2(billyf) on January 27, 2012, 12:59:46 pm
Hi all! 
I have been shooting bows since age 4 and watching my uncle make bows/apprentice-ing since i turned 8 which doesnt give me much expeirence since i am only 13, but at the same time I am addicted to bow making and dont plan on giving it up, ever. My uncle offered me a fix-up bow that he was making that he messed up with a huge hinge in the handle, i glued a handle support and tapered it down& with his help started to tiller. it had a very high crown and we heard a low cracking noise when floor tillering but we paper backed it so we didnt see the crack forming. when we finally got it to the tree the crown decided to pop up for about an inch, i should have pics in a week of 2, thinking of superglue and rawhide backing... any suggestions
Title: Re: First question/new around here
Post by: aaron on January 27, 2012, 01:39:27 pm
Welcome to the forum! We'll need pictures to decide for sure, but let me make some suggestions:
If you are going to fix it, your idea of rawhide and superglue might work- glue the crack back together, remove the paper back and back with rawhide, using a glue like titebond 2.
However, I'll bet that most people here will say- just start a new one. Do you have access to more wood?
Title: Re: First question/new around here
Post by: Pat B on January 27, 2012, 01:45:12 pm
Welcome to PA Youngboyer. I think instead of trying to fix the messed up stave see if you can't get a decent stave from your uncle and we will walk you through the bow building process.
  What wood is the "bow" your uncle gave you?
Title: Re: First question/new around here
Post by: Slackbunny on January 27, 2012, 03:16:25 pm
I agree with these guys. You should get the basics under your belt before you start advanced troubleshooting that may not even work. Try to get a new stave and start fresh, and if you want, keep that other one and try to fix it once you get some experience. It's not quitting, just taking a step sideways.
Title: Re: First question/new around here
Post by: Youngboyer2(billyf) on January 29, 2012, 06:00:30 pm
Pat the stave is made put if ironwood aka musclewood with a glued non-working hickey handle. I really want to "stick" (im punny like that)with this bow but just in case I started a short hickory bow as a backup
Title: Re: First question/new around here
Post by: Youngboyer2(billyf) on January 30, 2012, 12:23:34 am
the break is the line that goes perpendicular to the bow (hardly visible, just look across where the lengthwise crack ends) and the crack goes parallel to the grain and is on the other side of the bow too, sorry about the bad picture i'll get the hang of it..... eventually 
Title: Re: First question/new around here
Post by: DRon knife on January 30, 2012, 12:58:09 am
Idk about the crack,but something tells me you wont be an "apprentice" for long with determination like yours!!  Good luck on the fix Youngbowyer!! Ron
Title: Re: First question/new around here
Post by: George Tsoukalas on January 30, 2012, 01:01:32 am
Well, I agree with Pat. The time you spend fixing a bow that is making noises is probably better spent starting your own bow. Jawge
Title: Re: First question/new around here
Post by: Youngboyer2(billyf) on January 30, 2012, 01:19:20 am
The reason that I want to stick with this bow is because while I have a whole shed of quartered de-barked trees I don't have the time to cut a whole new stave down to size on my schedule. If my backup hickory also fails I may just buy a board to cut out some grunt work with a hatchet and drawknife and save some time
Title: Re: First question/new around here
Post by: Youngboyer2(billyf) on January 30, 2012, 09:10:02 pm
I am now confident that the rawhide and glue will work but where can I get rawhide cheap, I thought about tanning some skin from my dads deer this year but I didn't think that would go well with a dog around. 3riversarchery has enough rawhide for one bow for 25 dollars( I think) but that seems like a bad deal.