Selfbow Building Fun!

[Osagetree]

Been working on this one off and on for a week.
 

Shot it a few times and then
 

Selfbow fun,,, that's what it's all about!

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks like it broke at a knot. Oh well. I try to leave a knotted area just a bit stiffer than the rest of the limb. But that's the way it goes.    jawge

[bentpole]

Bummer Joe Bummer!

[John Scifres]

Them dang pins and knots!  I have fixed worse though.  Sinew is magic!  Thanks for posting  

[Jager]

Im working on my first self bow now. Its a little kid bow, if it ever makes it that far. I got a few junipers staves and Im having a hard time laying out everything. Problem is, I have no idea what Im doing and the bowyers bible reads like stereo insrtuctions.

[Pat B]

Joe, Don't ya just love self bows. Except for the malady, she has nice lines. As John said, sinew is magic!!!  
 Pat

[Lost Arra]

Are more folks cutting shelves in their selfbows?

I saw a lot of this at OJAM.

I know it can be done without problems. I've just never done it and I had not seen it that much until recently.

[John Scifres]

Jager,

Don't get hung up on instructions.  If you want the simplest ones, get "The Bent Stick" by Comstock.  Or if you want to do a board bow, go   Here  and click on Ferret's Board Bow Instructions.

[Shaun]

I keep all my busted bows as teaching aides. Had a yew blow up (yes, another one) recently and the autopsy shows it started at a pin knot near the handle. Good work Joe, hope I see you at the Journal Expo next weekend.

[Osagetree]

Shaun, look for me there!

Lost arra, I usualy poke fun at self bows with a cut in shelf. But this one was for my Son's girlfiend that is used to shooting a glass bow. My intent was to please her and not myself. Though there is noting wrong with a shelf!

Scifres, Yes it was at the pin knot I sorta violated. I knew it when I done it, but thought the old sage would hold together,,,  for not! I may try the sinew. What glue do you recommend?

[Shakes.602]

Where is Red Greene when we Need Him?? Bummer, But It WAS a Fine Looking Shootin'Stick!!          

[Walt Francis]

Joe,
I use Urac 185 and Zap-A-Gap, a type of C A glue you can get from hobby stores.  I warm the bow and glue (Urac 185) then put on a lot of glue, allowing it to fill and run out of the cracks, then use spring clamps or rubber bands to apply pressure.  Before applying the glue tape the areas surrounding the break/crack with painters tape; it makes it a lot easier to clean up later.  After the glue has cured and the surrounding area is cleaned, wrap the problem area with sinew.  I soak the sinew in my mouth for a few minutes to get it soft before applying it to the bow.  Next, let the sinew dry for a couple of days then soak/saturate it with C A glue and let it cure.  Here is a link to a bow I fixed using his process:  http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=050866#000000

[loco_cacahuate]

I just shot my 3rd selfbow today, the first one broke during tillering. It's great fun making those things. BTW I cut shelves in all of them.  

[John Scifres]

I have used hide glue/gelatin, TBB2, and CA glue and all three have done fine.  Here's one I did:    Sinew Patch

[Eric Krewson]

I am fixing two bows right now. One was in a house fire and something fell on it, the only thing not broken was the bamboo. This was a belly break. I use a hypodermic syringe full of urac and was able to inject the glue deep into the ends of the broken area.

I coated all the pieces with urac and put my first clamp right on the break with each subsequent clamp applied on each side of the break forcing the excess glue toward the outer edges of the break.

After the glue cured I put a lateral sinew patch over the break using Elmer's wood glue. After this band aid dried I used back sinew for a wrap around the crack, also using Elmer's wood glue.

This picture shws just how bad the break was. From the the handle, deep into the limb and out the belly.

 

This one shows the sinew wrap over the ends of the break. There is another layer of sinew under the wrap you can't see in the picture.

 

Urac and sinew should hold this bow together. This is the worst break I ever tried to fix. If it doesn't make it I will be surprised.

[Osagetree]

Okay, okay,,, I will try and repair it!

Thanks for all the good advice and tips. It certainly inspired me to try a patch for the first time. I happen to have some urac and elk sinew, so......

Eric, please post pics when yo can and I will also follow up on the repair.

[Eric Krewson]

pictures added