Author Topic: Tiny crack.... (Read 1005 times)

AKmud · « **on:** April 20, 2009, 03:27:00 AM »

Ok, here is my latest problem...

72" Unbacked Ash board bow with really good grain. Tillered to 35# @ 28". I have shot 40-50 arrows through it and was doing the finish sanding tonight when I ran my hand over the top limb and found a very small crack lifting on the edge of the back around 10" up from the riser. I never heard any "cracking" while I was shooting it and the crack doesn't seem to open up at all when drawn.

What are my options? (my wife told me to just sand it down :rolleyes: )

Sinew (never done it and not sure how...)? Super glue (don't think I can get any under the crack...)? ??

Pat B · « **Reply #1 on:** April 20, 2009, 07:55:00 AM »

A pic would be very helpful!

John Scifres · « **Reply #2 on:** April 20, 2009, 08:33:00 AM »

Assuming it is on the corner, I would just round the back until it is gone. That's a pretty overbuilt bow so it should be safe.

AKmud · « **Reply #3 on:** April 20, 2009, 01:33:00 PM »

Some pics...

John Scifres · « **Reply #4 on:** April 20, 2009, 02:21:00 PM »

Oh. That's bigger than what I thought. Plus there's a pretty severe grain runup there. You need to wrap it, IMO.

Eric Krewson · « **Reply #5 on:** April 20, 2009, 03:38:00 PM »

Superglue the crack and give it a superglue soaked thread wrap, about 1/2" past any part of the crack you can see. I like bow string serving material for my wraps.

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #6 on:** April 20, 2009, 10:13:00 PM »

That broke along a run up or run out. Better board choice increases success. There's info on my site. I don't know how the rest of the board is. Mark the where the break is on the belly. Glue the break with superglue. Back the stave with burlap, silk or linen. Wrap around the break area with some thread set in Duco. Wrap the corresponding area of the other limb so it looks like a decoration. Hope for the best. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #7 on:** April 20, 2009, 10:15:00 PM »

I noticed more run ups in your last picture. Jawge

AKmud · « **Reply #8 on:** April 20, 2009, 11:17:00 PM »

Thanks guys. The runups haven't been a problem for me with this ash so far, and if you look close, you can see that the runup that is cracking doesn't go completely through to the belly. It only goes about 1/4" into the board and then runs true.

I think I'll try Eric's suggestion with the serving material. I don't really want to back this bow if I can avoid it. It is more of a novelty bow anyway. The rest is a bear claw sanded flat and mounted to the side of the riser. I narrowed this handle more than my others to help with the side mounted rest. So far it has been a good shooter and likes 1816 aluminum shafts.

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #9 on:** April 21, 2009, 10:10:00 AM »

AK, I really wish you would take a look at the photo on my site of a nearly perfect board. The grain lines on the edge are nearly straight tip to tip.
Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/boards.html

AKmud · « **Reply #10 on:** April 22, 2009, 01:55:00 AM »

George,

I've got your site bookmarked and refer to it regularly. This bow is the third out of one board. The first turned out really well and the second was just starting to get into the runups. This one has some, but they didn't seem to be problematic yet...(guess I was over confident). I intentionally am keeping the poundage a bit lower on this one to try and make it work. Hopefully a decent repair job will save it.

Thanks again!

Eric Krewson · « **Reply #11 on:** April 22, 2009, 09:45:00 AM »

When I wrap a crack I keep my spool of thread on my server and use the tensioner of the server to maintain a tight tension on the thread as I wrap. Sure makes a nice, clean looking wrap. I also start and finish the wrap just like I was serving a string by serving back over the thread ends.

pappy · « **Reply #12 on:** April 22, 2009, 10:58:00 AM »

I do about like Eric dose and that being on the belly side it should hold just fine.Good luck.
Pappy

razorback · « **Reply #13 on:** April 22, 2009, 03:09:00 PM »

I had a similar splinter pop up on a yellow birch bow I made. I put lots of glue in the crack and wrapped tight with serving thread which I soaked in superglue. So far it is holding up very well.

AKmud · « **Reply #14 on:** April 23, 2009, 01:26:00 AM »

Eric, how do you apply the superglue to the serving thread? Do you smear it on after the wrap is complete?

pappy · « **Reply #15 on:** April 23, 2009, 04:26:00 AM »

Not sure how Eric dose it but that is what I
do.I super glue the crack,rap it and then soak the thread in glue.
Pappy

Eric Krewson · « **Reply #16 on:** April 23, 2009, 09:20:00 AM »

I soak the thread wrap after I get it on the bow bow with glue straight out of the bottle until it won't hole any more. For neatness I use a metal handle glue brush to spread out the puddles of super glue that accumulate on the wrap.

Glue brush.

Eric Krewson · « **Reply #17 on:** April 23, 2009, 09:25:00 AM »

One more thing, I hold my string server on my knee and rotate the bow when I put a wrap on. Goes on much neater this way without overlapping and is easier to keep tension on the thread.

John Scifres · « **Reply #18 on:** April 23, 2009, 10:33:00 AM »

AKmud · « **Reply #19 on:** April 23, 2009, 10:04:00 PM »

Thanks guys! I'll try to get it done tonight!

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