Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: FlintWalker on May 18, 2007, 01:15:03 am

Title: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: FlintWalker on May 18, 2007, 01:15:03 am
Well....What about it? 
  I was thinkin maybe a little duct tape might do the trick!
  Actually, I was afraid something like this might happen. It had a lot of reflex plus I turned up the tips. I imagine it was just too much stress and a little extreme for my third attempt at bow making.  I knew something was up when I braced it for the first time and that limb instantly lost all of its reflex. I used a heat gun and bent it back to match the other one but it was too late, the damage was done.   
  I do plan to practice heat bending on the other limb, just to see what I can do.  I think my wife was more down about it than me. She ask me did I cry! 
  Oh well, it's just wood. I'll just try again and again and again and............SW

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Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Coo-wah-chobee on May 18, 2007, 01:52:52 am
 Tht'al teach ya Shannon ! Just kiddin ! Welcome to wood bow building 101 ! >:( ;D.bob
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: FlintWalker on May 18, 2007, 02:07:44 am
I don't look at it as a failure. More like a learning experience. If I call it that, it don't hurt as much.  SW :)
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Justin Snyder on May 18, 2007, 02:24:13 am
Cut the split wood out of the middle.   Get yourself a patch about 66" long 1 1/2" wide and tapered to the ends.  Make sure it has a thick section about in the middle.  Then cut about an inch off each end of this bow and glue them on the patch for overlays. Tada you have fixed it and have a bow.  Justin
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Coo-wah-chobee on May 18, 2007, 02:30:00 am
Cut the split wood out of the middle.   Get yourself a patch about 66" long 1 1/2" wide and tapered to the ends.  Make sure it has a thick section about in the middle.  Then cut about an inch off each end of this bow and glue on for overlays. Tada you have fixed it and have a bow.  Justin
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        HUh ??? ??? ???..bob
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Justin Snyder on May 18, 2007, 02:34:51 am
OK Bob, let me try explaining it again.  The "patch" will look like the first picture.  ;) You cut the ends off the broken bow for tip overlays, and you are done.
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Coo-wah-chobee on May 18, 2007, 02:55:58 am
          Thx for further explanation Justin. :-\...bob           
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Pappy on May 18, 2007, 06:15:23 am
SW Was there a growth ring violation there or a knot or something,we reflex Osage all the time and it doesn't usually cause a problem.Look at it close and see if you can figure out what caused it.
Was the spring ring[the white chalky part]Thin or thick,I have seen them separate if they are thick.
Then if you can't figure it out cook brats with it,we all need fire wood.That is why I tell folks that are just getting started don't get to attached to a piece of wood until it is a bow. :) :'(
   Pappy
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Pappy on May 18, 2007, 07:12:00 am
O ya I almost forgot,I don't think duct tape will do the trick on this one. ;)Did it break straight across or splinter up the limb.Usually straight across is dry rot.
   Pappy
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Minuteman on May 18, 2007, 08:14:04 am
Keep after it Sawfiler. Everybody hates this but" If ya ain't breakin' 'em ya ain't makin' 'em!"
 Do like Pappy said and try to determine why it broke and learn from it . Move on. It does hurt a bit  when that much work goes down the drain :'(, keeps us humble though. ;)
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Marc St Louis on May 18, 2007, 08:17:47 am
There is a reason that happened and it's not because of reflex or recurves. That one is mild compared to some I have made in the past.
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: GregB on May 18, 2007, 08:30:04 am

If you want to salvage half of it, you can get you a billet and splice the good half and billet in the handle. Will have to reflex and thin the billet side to match. We did that to a Ryan style recurve that broke during the Classic. Havn't worked on it since splicing though. :)
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Pappy on May 18, 2007, 09:04:40 am
After looking at the picture closer it looks like the ratio between the spring and summer growth is
not as good as it could be.If you have more wood like that you may want to overbuild it a little
and go for a lighter weight.Just an observation. :)
    Pappy
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: 1/2primitive on May 18, 2007, 09:53:55 am
Too bad, that looked good, but it would be hard for anyone's third attempt. I haven't even tried something like that and I've been doing it for about 2 1/2 years.
     Sean
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: George Tsoukalas on May 18, 2007, 10:26:30 am
Nope. :) Jawge
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Pat B on May 18, 2007, 10:40:05 am
SW, You have the right attitude for building wood bows. Learn from your mistakes and move on!   

Did you use dry heat? with or without oil? steam? That profile would have made a great bow. Maybe the next one.   Pat
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: FlintWalker on May 18, 2007, 05:51:22 pm
I used steam to reflex it and flip up the tips. When the limb that broke relaxed, I used dry heat with Crisco to bend it back.
   I think the wood had some unseen wind damage. It split between two late growth rings. I also noticed the spring rings were very porous.  Who knows... it's kindling all the same.  SW
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Justin Snyder on May 18, 2007, 06:00:25 pm
It kind of looks like it raised a splinter on the back, then broke across in a line.  Did it separate on the new growth, kind of like de-laminating between the two late growth rings?  For such a clean snap I would guess a hinged area that lifted a splinter.  :-\ Yes I know what it looks like because I have had a few just like this.  Justin
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: jamie on May 18, 2007, 07:08:22 pm
duct tape and a helmet ;D
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: mullet on May 18, 2007, 07:27:18 pm
  If you need a couple for billet glue ups I have some other ends. ;)
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: DanaM on May 18, 2007, 08:35:27 pm
Sometimes Sh#* happens sucks but no way to avoid it.
Back to square one, I know the feelin.

Dana
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: jignfrog on May 18, 2007, 11:58:12 pm
It happens to the best of us. I broke one last week and one today. It hurt at first but heck I am getting numb to it now. I just throw it in the corner and start another. If it were easy there wouldn't be the web site about it. Keep at it. 

Ron
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Ryano on May 21, 2007, 01:11:28 am
Ah man that was a pretty piece of wood too.... :'( .oh well Shannon, just move on to the next one! ;)
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: kerbinator on May 21, 2007, 01:30:57 am
A very similar thing happened to me the other day. When I used a heat gun to make a limb match the reflex in the other limb. I started tillering looked fine till I braced it for a short string and it busted.
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Pat B on May 21, 2007, 01:34:40 am
When heat treating or heat bending wood it is a good idea to wait a few days after before stressing the wood. This will allow it to rehydrate and may prevent spontaneous explosions! :o   Pat
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: jkekoni on May 22, 2007, 08:22:52 am
You can make another limb and Z or W slice and glue it to the handle.
(Providing that the other limb did not break too. That also sometimes happen, if the broken
limb starts a dry fire.

Or use takedown tube.

May not be easier that making a new one, but definitely possible.

You may counter the too much reflex, by putting some deflex in the handle.
Title: Re: You reckon I can fix this?
Post by: Marc St Louis on May 22, 2007, 03:31:18 pm
If you dry heat bend or heat treat a bow you should always wait a few days to let the wood hydrate back up because the back is what can let go if you don't.