Riser repair?

[Benoli]

I recently acquired this Bear Tigercat knowing it had a crack in the riser but I was told it was #25 when in fact it is #45. The crack does not seem to change when strung and drawn. I only had it strung for a short while and only drew a couple of times. Is this repairable and what might be the best approach?
 
 
 

[Cupcake]

I would try feathering 24 hour epoxy in the whole crack.  It is running parallel to the stress in the riser when drawn so it might be OK.  I am not a bowyer (yet) but it is worth a try.

[dorris]

i would sat try useing CA super glue and wrappin the grip. looks like its on its way to explodeing

[Crooked Stic]

Hang it on the wall.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

Looks like the crack was created by some force perpendicular to the normal force of shooting. Like it was stepped on etc.. I think the "Think" super glue might hold it together. Then on the other hand Tiger cats are not very expensive, might be wise to retire it and look elsewhere for a shooter. If you put a slight side force on the bow does the crack open?

[Kindred Mark]

retire the bow before it hurts you.  CA or epoxy will not seep deep enough to ensure you maintain good strength in the riser.  That bow is about 5 pulls from becoming a 2 piece IMO.

Mark

[Benoli]

I can open the crack ever slightly by appplying side force especially if I twist at the same time. A cabinet maker friend suggested a wooden dowel, or two perpendicular to the crack only because the stress of shooting is running parallel to the crack.

[Tom Leemans]

Retire it

[Larry247]

If you don't retire the bow now, it might dangerous! I don't think any glue will save that one's life, I agree with hanging it up...

[Eric Krewson]

If you just want a bow to shoot and don't care what it looks like I would have to try to save it. I would cut away all the wood from the crack out leaving the glass intact. Next I would start gluing very thin strips in to replace the removed wood and reshape the added wood to the original contours.  

I have done recoveries on worse wood bows, just to see if I could. Of course I make bows which gives me a little knowledge and experience with wood and glue.

I wouldn't take on a fix like that for someone else but I do like fixing my own.

[vermonster13]

I would post a picture of my left hand to let you see what happens when a bow lets go, but there are children on the site. I would retire it or at the most check out the thread on here where a set of limbs were removed from a one piece and mounted on a new riser.

[d. ward]

I would drip loc tite 420 into it.The super glue of super glues (Grainer Hardware about 15.00 18.00 bucks a bottle).Regular super glue will work but not as well.I only use loc tite 420 cause it's real thin.I've repaired about 1,000 (no plug intended)or so bows with it and it works great.The crack will draw the 420 right into it.Keep dripping until it runs out the other side,it's full.Put about 2-3 clamps with only 1 pound or so of presure from side to side.Let it dry for at least 24-48 hrs.That will give the 420 time to dry inbetween.The glue joint should be stronger then the original one peace of wood was.I've had great luck in almost every case when done that way useing the 420.80% of the cracks in the throat of the grip are caused (in recurves and long bows) by stepping thru the bow to string it.(It's getting twisted and bent at the shelf even long bows are because you are pulling the upper limb towards you and not bending it).About 20% or so of shelf cracks are caused by a dry fire,you know like a split noc or broken string.Please guy's always us a bow stringer.Step thru is the worst thing on a bow.Keep me posted.bd

[xia_emperor]

I saw a bow blow up last night in a guys hands, he's fine. so I would say put on the wall.

[rbbhunt]

I would retire it, but I have repaired low poundage bows with the same crack by forcing some epoxy into the crack and then drilling and counterdrilling a cross hole to put in a screw and nut (don't forget washers) so everything is below the surace of the wood and then epoxy over it.  Acraglas used for glassbedding rifles works well.

[Benoli]

Thanks for the ideas and comments. I've not decided exactly what to do yet. It's just a shame to let this bow go unused. I've been looking for some 420 but nobody locally seems to carry it. Anyway thanks again.

[buckeyebowhunter]

I'm sure an experienced bowyer could fix it. But he would have to replace the riser, and charge probably a minimum of $100.