cracks in black widow limbs

[EL Mejor]

I own a PMA5 and the limbs have cracks along the alinement pins.Has any one had this problem before.How bad is this.Also when i draw the bow on the first time i get a very light poping sound and feel,after the first shoot the noise goes away. Any advice.

[Dave Lay]

I have heard this is from over tightening the limb bolt..not sure how bad it is, do you have the o rings on the pins? might wanna give them a call I am sure they will want to look at it..

[Doug S]

I had an old MAll that had a crack out from the pin both ways for about an inch. I shot the bow that way for 10 yrs. Never did break. Not that you should. I would send it to them and have them look at it.

[wtpops]

Give them a call they will help you out.

[bentpole]

How tight are you turning those bolts????!!

[Steelhead]

Sometimes its not do to turning the bolts down too tight.If water or alot of humidity gets in the alignment pin holes or bolt holes it can cause the wood to swell a bit and crack the glass around those areas.The glass wont swell so it cracks.I have shot 4 TDs with these stress cracks and it never was a problem for me personally.You might put some locktite 420 in the cracks and let it seep into them.When it dries you can sand lightly and put some finish over them.you might want to put some rubber gasket material or cork on the riser  where the limbs attach to to keeep moisture and humidity out.

[sswv]

sounds like you're cranking that hex wrench just a little to much BUT, what Steelhead says makes sense also.

[KVTA TANK]

Its humidity swells .You can slow it down by using lenseed oil next to the pins.but the cracks do not hurt the bow at all.

[jmc334]

It is humidity. I had one do that and sent it back to bowyer who fixed it no problem.

[EL Mejor]

Thanks guys for all the knowledge offered.I have been using the o rings.Also i sent the bow over to blackwidow,they looked it over and said every thing was fine that i sould not have a problem.They said that this is common but they dont know why or what causes it.They susspect its the pressure of the o rings around the alinement pins.About the poping noise that i was getting,they said it was because i was not tightening the blots down.I am not to happy but the bow is shooting great so ill leave it alone and hope that the cracks on the limbs dont stretch.Thats all that the blackwidow guys could offer me for now.I guess ill put the bow to the test.

[EL Mejor]

Jmc334,was that a blackwidow that you had the same problem on.

[manny718]

sent you a pm

[chestsprings]

El Mejor

I have the same situation, & it was "hashed" out  on this forum, last week.

see this link:

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=069337


Post was "cracked limb" .  

seems like most people don't think it's such a big deal.   As I posted, when I talked to Dale Dye, he said it was a "humidty crack",  shoot it.

the replies may ease your mimd.  It did mine

[jmc334]

El mejor, no it was not a BW. The bowyer re-finished the limb though and it was fine. He said the same things these guys are saying. Humidity/moisture causes the wood to swell and that will sometimes force the lam to seperate.