How would YOU fix this? Hopefully not like this... pg 3

[Cambow]

I always thought that self bows could only be done with "flat-grain" wood? I would love to know... I make laminated bows and have the urge to try a self-bow...

[josef2424]

I would put three layers of sinew on the back with hide glue

[canopyboy]

Originally posted by fish n chicks:
...the bow doesn't have anything to lose.

Yup, might as well experiment a little.  That's my newly revived motto!  

[evildocrsx]

If I were to fix it, I would cut a V shaped notch where the knot and crack are and would replace it with a fresh V shaped piece of wood and glue it with urac.

[KellyG]

Well fish I think I will just watch and see what you come up with.

[fish n chicks]

So I learned two major things during this repair. The first lesson is, that the very first thing I ever forge, will be a marking knife.

Second, my mortising skills suck pretty bad.

Now, here's what I did to try to fix this issue. I actually received my shop notes magazine about a week ago. One of the projects they went over was how to use butterfly keys to repair damaged stock. So I used that idea to fix my bow.

Considering that the area in question will spend most of it's life in tension (must be married or something) I had to remove stock and try to keep the fix from popping out. So here is what I did:

I used a piece of lignum vitae for the repair due to it's specific gravity and density being more than the red oak's. I made it slightly larger than the piece. Looking back, I would've made it with "fingers" that wove into the oak's fibers.

   

Mark it with a marking knife. I had to use an exacto. NEVER AGAIN!

   


Mortise it. I used a 1/2" chisel. I wish I had a 1/4" but did what I could with what I had. And I will be buying a new set of chisels soon too!

   


Press into place with clamps and thin stock to apply even pressure, after applying glue of course. I went with TB3 cause, well, it's what I had. I'm sure epoxy would be the proper adhesive.

   

I used a finger plane and sandpaper to clean it up.

   

Then I wrapped it with hemp chord soaked in glue-water, and wrapped it like a cast. It dries up like a cast too.

   


   

[fish n chicks]

After the glue dries, you get a hard cover over your repair, which will give with the tension and compression forces applied, but keep your limbs from splintering.

That's the theory anyway. Time will tell if this holds true.

   

     

I managed to string her up and shoot a dozen or so arrows through her. Still shoots like a dream, but my tiller was thrown off a touch. I don't know if I will do anything about it at this point, if I can do anything at all.

   


So, so far it's a survivor, much like a lot of us that society has written off. I'm hoping she takes a finish well, and to have her in the mail some time next week. Hope this may have helped some. I know without the TG, this repair would not have been.

[KellyG]

Fish to even out the tiller, do you think adding a wrap on the lower limb in the same spot would help. Just a thought.
well put a few hundred through her and see. Good job either way.

[okie64]

I think the tiller looks pretty good. I would put a matching wrap on the bottom limb and call it good. I've got a hickory bow that pulled up a huge splinter and I put a wrap on it kinda like you got there and I've shot hundreds of arrows through it and its still shooting great.

[George Tsoukalas]

You did well. Very nice. Jawge

[fish n chicks]

Thank you guys! I'm just really glad she's still with us. I've got her on the bench drying between finish coats now.


At this point, I'm just gonna leave her the way she is. That pic above is actually my first, and only visual of the tiller since the repair, and it was done with a timer on the camera, and me rushing to get the pic off. I don't want to mess with the tree at this point either. Just working it manually has really helped. After it's finished, I'm going to take a bunch of money shots and see what she looks like.

Thanks again gang!

[fish n chicks]

So my repair didn't make it 50 arrows. The bow busted right at the repair. In all honesty, I was foolish to think it would work. Most of you called it too. In the end, a true repair would've been to soak the crack, and then back the bow. I DO want to thank you all for trying to stear me in the right direction.

This was a half ass attempt that cost me a decent bow. So, my final answer is THIS METHOD DOES NOT WORK.

   

[KellyG]

fish now we all Know so the knowledge we all gained is something the we can put in our collective hats.
Plus now we get so see some more of you wonderful tips and knocks.
Trust me I know you pain. I have only tried making 3 bows and only one has worked so far. I know you will just settle in am knock the next one out of the park.

[Eric Krewson]

When I saw the kind of thread you were using and the glue you soaked the thread with I thought " that isn't going to hold".

Filling the crack with urac if possible, super glue if it is too tight followed with braided nylon serving thread soaked with all the super glue it will hold has worked for me. Done at least least 5 repairs like the one below, all held.

 

[fujimo]

oh dear- sorry man!!