Cracks in Belly

[Lee Lobbestael]

I recently made a ash self bow and I have been shooting it in. Yesterday I noticed one limb took more of a set than the other. When I examined it i noticed several small fissure or cracks in the belly. What does this mean for my bow? It still shoots great just one limb bends slightly more than the other. The back is still in perfect condition.

[John Scifres]

Those are probably compression fractures.  Unfortunately they usually mean the eventual failure of the bow.  There's little you can do to patch them that is less work than making a new bow.

[Lee Lobbestael]

Thanks! Thats not good news but what can ya do! What causes cracks like this? I know I may have over heated the limb when I was taking twist out of it prior to tillering, Could this have anything to do with it?

[John Scifres]

Often it is caused by rushing tiller and bending it when there is a hinge.  It also is frequently caused by too aggressive of a design.  Wood defects can do it too.  The heating could easily have had an impact.  

Most bows fail in compression.  Sometimes it's explosive.  Sometimes it's a long cruel process first indicated by the compression fractures or chrysals as they are sometimes called.

[Pat B]

What John said!   There are a few woods that I have problems with fretting(chrysals); ash and locust are two of them. Others have no problems with either.