WOBI blow explosion by yours truly.

[John Malone]

I was doing it the other way, either way it gained 7/8 of an inch.
Doesnt matter now she blew like chinese fire crackers at #45 in an area 1/4 inch thick.
I believe my reflex wasnt even enough, or the wood seemed seriously dry to me, not to mention questionable grain in the backing. But both limbs went simutaniously just before or in the most acute area of reflex.
The most likely reason is on the wall with the rope and pully something seemed off it was still #55 at 6 inches of tip movement. When i put it on the other tree with the scale hooked directly to the string i was at 45 and noticed the tips were way more than 6 inches, thats exactly the instance it went pow. So i probly pulled it 5 inches further than it had been pulled before all at once. On to the boo then.
 
 
 
 
 

[mikkekeswick]

Sorry to see that.
Yes the grain wasn't straight enough on that backing strip.
Always use only the straightest grained wood you can find, especially for the backing. A good bow is built on good foundations.

I mentioned the tools before because you will find that the combinations I suggested will give you more accuracy. Speed is irrelavent at your stage accuracy is key. I wasn't really meaning to use those tools to speed things up at all. Sticking with a scraper is likely to mess up the taper. A clean accurate taper is one of the holy grails of bow making  

[John Malone]

Thanks Mike, I have a long background in wood working, not bow making though. The taper was perfect. I get carried away with rasp and spoke shaves.

[BMorv]

Sorry to hear that John.  It always sucks to break one.  
Looks like the backing was the start of the problem.  You say it broke at the same spot on both sides simultaneously?  That's interesting...

One good thing about bamboo is you don't have to worry grain.  You have other things to worry about, but not grain runoff.

And every time I've broken ipe, it cracks with a puff of dust, and then it looks dry alone the fibers.  Inside my garage was 84% humidity today, and I used to not measure moisture content, so I know the ipe wasn't too dry.  

What taper rate did you use?

[Roy from Pa]

Sorry, John.

[John Malone]

Thanks BMorv, I don't see anything being dry were your at. lol Maybe it would have blew eventually but I really think the uneven refkex combined with me pulling it to far made it sooner rather than later. Got to go to town and buy clamps. when I get back were gonna start an BBI.  I was also out of beer, that's what I really think happened.

[BMorv]

"I was also out of beer, that's what I really think happened."
I think we got to the bottom of it...never good to work with the shakes. lol

[Roy from Pa]

LOL, I understand..  

[mikkekeswick]

If you can get perfect tapers there is no need to floor tiller.....
I can pretty much guarantee you that the taper wasn't perfect    Even sat here    Much to learn grasshopper...