Can This Mollegabet be Saved?

[kentowl]

Limb cracked after 1500+ full draw shots, no other sign of stress or increase in string follow. A fine shooter, would like to save - thinking of glueing crack closed, applying rawhide backing to prevent more lifting, and binding around the limb with sinew. Is it worth the effort or time to scrap? I have no experience with rawhide or sinew but am happy to try...

 

[SportHunter]

I think it's a wall hanger. I wouldn't feel safe behind any repair that extensive.

[Art B]

I bet if you would warm up some urac and run down in that crack that it'll be stronger than it was. Bind good til dry. A nice thread wrap later if you like but I bet just the urac will be enough.

[Pat B]

It looks like it broke along a grain line from a run off at that edge. That is why having good grain on the back but also the sides in important. I'd do as Art suggests.

[kentowl]

Thanks Art & Pat - that grain line is misleading - the grain continues all along the edge to the transition to narrow tips. But perhaps the angle of the grain was enough to make a stress riser. I was really happy to find that piece of ash - it's grain was much better than any other backing I've used so far...

I have EA40, thinking to warm both parts in the microwave, combine warm, and flow into the crack after heating that with the air gun. It's feeling more and more doable as I think about it, with rawhide to keep splinters from lifting, and a sinew binding to take the strain off the glue joint, it just might work.

[George Tsoukalas]

Oh no. Sorry to hear that. Hang'er up and start another. JawgeIf you ain't breakin' you ain't makin'! Jawge

[kentowl]

Thanks, Jawge: I'm planning to attempt a warm epoxy flow into the cracks and bind it up, if nothing else to preserve its alignment for eventual duplication. If the epoxy seems to do well, I may invest in some sinew and hide glue for the experience.

I know how to break bows - need to learn to fix them eventually!

[Dan Landis]

I recently made a repair similar to what you have on a hophornbeam self bow that is holding so far, only about 150 arrowss through it though.  I used EA40 and 50# test braided no stretch fishing line set in the epoxy and laid on like you would sinew back a bow and then wrapped around the limb.  I also wrapped the entire area with jute twine set in a thinned EA40 epoxy mix.  It ain't pretty but so far it's holding.  This bow is 65"ttt and 60# @28"......Dan

[Dan Landis]

Aso, forgot to mention that my crack started at the fade and went half way across and through the limb for about 6".....Dan

[kentowl]

Thanks, Dan. That's an interesting combination of materials! As far as I know the sinew and horn glue offers a bit more resiliency than epoxy - did you notice your tiller affected by the buildup of rigidly glued windings?

[Dan Landis]

Actually I think it improved it, because the area where the break occurred was a getting close to hinge.  It gained a few pounds of draw weight also....Dan

[KellyG]

Kentowl just let us all know what you do and if it works or not.

[kentowl]

KellyG: I'll bring this back to the top when I have more to report. So far, the cracks have been filled with thin cyanoacrylate and clamped - when dried the cracks have visually almost disappeared.

For now I have 3R sinew on order, and plan to install it with Knox gelatin "glue"so the sinew shrinkage can tighten it around the limb, then coat with acetone-thinned epoxy for water resistance.  Photos and full report to follow.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Does that crack go through the back and the core and is 8-9" long? I wouldnt do anything but hang it up. Did it happen to be the right side limb in your original bow post?

[kentowl]

Pearl Drums: the crack is more or less a wedge shape with the point (towards the tip) at one edge of the back. It appears through the back, but the glue line is intact. Some of the belly split out with the backing, in shear approximately along grain lines. I believe I have glued the full extent (flooded with cyanoacrylate then exercised the crack until glue came out everywhere), and it looks like a 7" bow bandage (sinew wrapped around the limb) will cover the entire area with overlap at both ends. Certainly will count as a major repair if it works at all.

re: original post - could be. I think I saw the same area you did.. Unfortunately that photo was taken before a day or two of "freeing up" and I believe I evened out the bend even more by sanding either side.

[kentowl]

Pearl Drums: in case that wasn't completely clear - the crack does not go through the belly - the belly surface is completely intact.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I hope it works out for you. Keep us posted please. CA glue is good stuff.