Rebuild of a board bow

[razorback]

Well I have a hickory board bow that has been backed with hickory. It is somewhat aesthetically challenged, has a bunch of set and is pretty sluggish. Some heart and soul went into building it and I would like to rebuild it to try and get a shooter out of it. I was thinking of taking the backing off, putting a new piece on the belly and retillering it. If I move the damaged fibers to the center of the bow and add some reflex with the new belly, will this likely improve performance?

[PEARL DRUMS]

I had the same exact scenario. I put the bow in 5" of relfex, added 3 thin layers of sinew and let dry for 3-4 weeks. It gained about 15-18# of draw and now has about 1" of follow.

[Aznboi3644]

I'd take that back off and heat treat the new belly.

Then glue on a backing strip to the present belly side.

[razorback]

AZ, are you saying that I take the current back off, and use the newly exposed "back' as the belly by turning the bow around, heat treat it and put a new backing strip on the old belly. If so I had thought of that but there is a shelf cut into the handle that is preventing that.

My main thought is can I take the damaged fibers out of play by putting undamaged wood on the belly side and retillering.

Pearl, does putting reflex into damaged fibers actually fix the problem or is it creating a new problem by adding different stresses to those fibers. I know there are ways to "fix" the compression damage that causes string follow and set, but how well do they hold up. I am hoping by moving them to the middle of the bow they wont have any effect on it.

[John Scifres]

I'd just heat treat it and see what happens.  Here's one I did like that.

  Fixit

[razorback]

Thanks John, I might give that a shot. I believe the backing was probably put on with titebond 2 or 3. Will toasting the belly and bending on the caul, cause it to delaminate.

[razorback]

Ok, quick update. I had a closer look at the bow and it is not backed.It is a 3/8" hickory slat that is 64"ntn, 1 3/4" for half the limb tapering to 1/2" nocks. it has 4" of string follow, mostly in the midlimb where the taper starts. The handle is a couple of layers of different woods. Unfortunately the back has been ground into to shape the handle so I am limited there. The bow is about 30# @ 28".
I am thinking of taking the handle off, heating it on the caul to induce a little reflex and adding the belly lam. Might even put a powerlam between the two, to start the fade, add some handle laminates and retiller. Its a nice piece of Hickory and would hate to just leave it in the corner.

[John Scifres]

You are going to be putting a lot of work into a bow that isn't really the best design.  It has that follow because it is too short for 28" draw.  If it were 68" NTN, it might be worth trying to get it to draw more at 28" but at 64", I'd toast it and make it a 24" draw bow.

[razorback]

If 64" is too short for that draw then yeh I probably am putting too much work into a bow that will never be good at that length. Maybe I'll toast it, retiller, fix the handle area up a bit and give it to the wife. Who knows maybe she will gain some interest in shooting.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Its only too short if it breaks or doesnt work in my opinion. We all differ there. I pull 29", my hickory bow is 61" long and has 3 layers of sinew added to the back. It has about 1 1/2" of follow and shoots great. I dont think its too short? I follow most bow building rules, bow length is one I dont. I see no good reason your 64" bow wont work for a 28" draw. The follow could be from early stress, improper tiller job, wet wood or a zillion other things. Not trying to stir the pot here, just stating what I have experienced. I would hate to see you pitch your first bow because you "think" it wont work out. I will send you enough sinew to back your bow on my dime if your willing to try it, its not hard to do.

[hardwaymike]

Razorback, Pearl Drums knows what he is talking about with the bow length. Not saying that no one else does. Just saying that I have first hand knowledge that the bow length is not set in stone. The bow that he gave to me is only 59" tip to tip and I am drawing it to at least 27". The reason I say this is not to tick anyone off but to just state that you should not give up entirely just yet. Wait until it breaks before you give up on it. That's all.

[razorback]

Thanks for the input guys. I am a huge fan of, and have benefited greatly from John and his wisdom. I am also not against trying anything new or worried about doing the "wrong thing". I usually like th efeel of longer bows but have the hickory slat on hand and like a project.

Pearl, this is not my first bow, I didn't even make it so I don't know for sure why there is such follow. I think it is from design. the bow is the same thickness the full length but has parralel limbs for half its length and then they taper to the tips. Most of the follow is in the outer half of the limb. No matter what I do I will make it a more true pyramid design or thin it down and go with a narrower straight limb design with belly taper.

[John Scifres]

Sinew changes everything.  I made a 54" NTN, rigid handled osage that carries 2" of reflex.  But sinew is too much work to put onto a bow as a bandaid.  If you can redesign and overcome the damage done to the wood, then you might make something worthwhile with sinew.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I did change my design slightly on my repair. I started the taper a few inches closer to the fades and shortened the bow up about 1 1/2" from each end.

[barley40]

I don't know about sinew on hickory. Maybe ok, but adding moisture of any kind can kill the cast and cause string follow in hickory.

[fujimo]

can the tips not be cut off, and new ones glued on (flipped tips, as in 4est's oak bows)- that will help with string angle and add a little zip- and then combined with some belly being ground off nice and square, and a new belly lam being glued on, up the fades and onto the handle- kinda like the belly glass, on a glass bow-then you dont have to remove the handle. save a bunch of work- and look quite unique too!! and use a better compression wood like osage or ipe.- maybe glue in a little reflex at this stage too- or a little deflex reflex.
would sure be a pretty bow.
just ideas- not pushin'

[razorback]

Fujimo, thats what I was thinking, except the handle is in need of repair as the layers have started to delaminate. What I really have to work with is a 3/8" hickory slat that has some unnatural reflex and a handle cut into it    I like the idea of the static recurve tips though, they look good and add a lot to performance. I will put some thought into everyones suggestions and make a decision this week. I will have some time hopefully soon to work on it. Might even try a repair along.

[fujimo]

if the handle needs repair ,take it off, as you suggest- then glue the belly lam straight on, and then rebuild the handle- but you had that in mind already!!(jus sayin'it for continuity in the thread.)
if its a nice slat you could send it through a lam grinder type setup- would sure make it nice and square- i wouldnt put it through a planer though!
sure would be nice to follow a repair along.
good luck chap!