Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Walski on November 22, 2020, 08:47:11 pm

Title: First timer needs help with pin knot
Post by: Walski on November 22, 2020, 08:47:11 pm

First time building a bow, and I have a pin knot on the lower limb, that I am worried about.    Should I drill out this knot and fill it with epoxy, or leave it alone?

Title: Re: First timer needs help with pin knot
Post by: meanewood on November 23, 2020, 12:43:10 am

I take it, that's yew?

I don't think it's an issue but if you really want to take every precaution, pick out any soft rotten wood until it gets too hard and then fill with epoxy.

Leave the back (Sapwood) as is.

Title: Re: First timer needs help with pin knot
Post by: simk on November 23, 2020, 03:38:16 am

I've always filled them with epoxy or a dowel and never had a problem...

Title: Re: First timer needs help with pin knot
Post by: Del the cat on November 23, 2020, 04:23:30 am

What they said!  :)
Leave the back... pick out any loose stuff from the belly, dig in hard and make sure you are down to sound wood. It may come right through to the back as a tiny hole... which is quite handy, as you'll be able to see the epoxy /yew dust mix squeeze out :)
If it's a big hole, whittle a Yew plug and glue it in with epoxy mixed with yew dust.
Smaller holes can be filled with epoxy and Yew dust, I put a little in first and make sure it's pushed well in to wet the surfaces, then I mix more dust to make a dryish mix and tamp it in... as it is tamped in, it sort of becomes wetter and squeezes out the epoxy (if that makes sense).
If you don't fill 'em it can cause a pinch where the manky stuff collapses under compression.
Del

Title: Re: First timer needs help with pin knot
Post by: NonBacked on November 23, 2020, 09:48:14 am

Excellent limb work for your first one! And nice detail on your photos. You’ve gotten all the advice you need to fix it, but where is the knot located on the bow? If it’s in the handle area, it’s not as critical as it would be in the working limb.
H

Title: Re: First timer needs help with pin knot
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 23, 2020, 11:39:13 am

Be sure to leave the knotted area a little wider. I would also tiller the knotted area just a little stiffer than the rest of the limb...just a little. At least, that is what I always do. Jawge

Title: Re: First timer needs help with pin knot
Post by: Walski on November 23, 2020, 01:11:45 pm

Thank you all for your help, as I've just started building a bow and find this site as a wealth of information, because of all of you, thanks again and I'll repair the knot as mentioned.
 

Title: Re: First timer needs help with pin knot
Post by: bownarra on November 23, 2020, 02:46:49 pm

Do as suggested but I don't like the look of it.

Title: Re: First timer needs help with pin knot
Post by: Hamish on November 23, 2020, 05:26:06 pm

Walksi, That my friend is not a pin knot. Its more like a fat knitting needle knot ;). Pin knots look like the head of a pin, or small brad and are solid.

Drill and plug as as been suggested. Hopefully you have left it a little wider at that spot too, rather than acting like there was no knot.