Heard a click. Is it toast?

[Trenton G.]

Hey guys. I'm working on my first self bow and am just getting to the part where I am starting floor tillering. It's still pretty stiff but getting there. Today while bending it a bit, I heard a very slight tick. I immediately stopped flexing it. Is there any chance of still getting a bow out of it, or was that tick the death toll? I looked all over and could not find anything that looked wrong, so I assume the issue was internal. I'd appreciate any help. I plan on trying to finish it just for the experience of nothing else.

[Pat B]

Run a cotton ball all over the working portions of the bow. If it lifted a splinter it will grab some of the cotton.
How far are you bending at floor tiller? There shouldn't be much stress on the bow at floor tiller stage.
Will you post a pic or 2 of your bow ?

[Trenton G.]

Thanks for the reply Pat. I am not bending it much, just enough to see that it's bending. I'll rub it down tomorrow with a cotton ball and I'll also take some pictures and get them posted on here. The bow is hickory if that helps.

[George Tsoukalas]

I've heard lots  ticks in my bow making life. Sometimes, like you, Trenton, they are on the edge and I just draw knifed it away; sometimes they indicated a crack on the back. Sometimes they indicated a chrysal on the belly.

But I never had  one while floor tillering. You may be forcing it to bend.

Anyway, c racks have to be discovered and dealt with.

That board looks good.

Jawge

[Eric Krewson]

Made lots of bows but never heard the dreaded "tick" while floor tillering, hopefully you will be OK.
When I heard the real thing while drawing a bow it was always a harbinger of doom.

[Trenton G.]

Here are some pictures. Hopefully they show up. As you can see there are some knots in the belly of the limb. I don't know if they will cause issues or not. Is there any particular part of the bow that I should get a picture of? These are all of the limb that I've been working on. Right not I'm working on rounding the edges with a spokeshave and scraper.

[Pat B]

Knots on the belly generally are not a problem. Just act like they're not there. I usually put super glue in knots and if they are void I use sawdust and superglue, applied in layers, not all at once.