Snap Crackle Pop Repairing a Broken Bow

[John Lipinski]

I was drawing back, shooting my newly made arrows for the second time, when SNAP

ow, my hand, ow, my thigh... OW, MY BOW.

The carnage:

The limbs are still in good shape, though. I'm lucky that the split was even and uniform, right down the middle of the handle. How does a two-piece takedown longbow sound? Think it's possible? It seems like it to me, but I'm going to have to think this out pretty well before going on with it. I don't want to have a repeat of what happened today.
   
   

Unfortunately, this is my only trad bow, so I'm bowless for the next couple weeks until bow number two gets done. Bow number two was supposed to be for the swap, but I'm reserving it for me now. This means that bow number three for the swap will be, undoubtedly, my finest work yet. I don't want to let down my recipient with a bow that i'm not proud of. Even worse, I don't want to endanger them by giving them a bow that might explode on them.

[1oldbowguy]

OUCH, sorry!

[Red Tailed Hawk]

How narrow was that handle?

[broketooth]

on the upper limb on the upper pic, you dont have enough handle left to fit it in a sleeve. ruddy

[Walt Francis]

That’s scary…in several respects.  

[John Lipinski]

I talked with my shop teacher about it--He said that it probably was the mahogany strip that did it. It isn't as strong as the red oak, and he suggested that I sand through the red oak  on top of the mahogany strip in the center for looks (even though I ended up wrapping a leather cord around it in the end). He said that he thought it would hold together, turns out he was wrong. Oh well. We're discussing a way to join the two pieces back together now to restore it to a one-piece design. If anyone has ideas on this, please put in your thoughts. The next riser/handle that I'm making for my second bow will be much stronger than this one, that's for sure.

[Pat B]

If the break is relatively clean and the two halves mate back up well I would try glueing them back together. Fill the break on both halves with glue and push them together. Wipe off the excess glue and clamp well until the glue is well cured. Besure the limbs are alligned with each other.  After the glue is cured, square up the area, make it smooth on all 4 sides and add an overlay on both sides that go into the fades. When that glue dries add a back and belly overlay that also go into the fades.
  When all is cured reshape the handle area working the add ons so they blend into the fades on the sides as well as the back and belly. For a handle wrap use hemp cord from Walmart. Make a tight wrap for about 4" where you will be holding the handle and set it with Massey finish. FYI...the mixture I use is 2Ton epoxy(in the double syrenge)mixed well and thinned with acetone. Make it watery thin. I then take an old rag and roll it in a tight roll and use it to apply the Massey finish. Dab the epoxy wetted rag on the hemp wrap until it is saturated. Let it set over night and sand the roughness off. This will give you a weather proof handle wrap that will add extra security to the repaired handle.

[John Lipinski]

It isn't a clean enough break to splice back together all the fibers, though I have an idea about splicing in a piece of wood in the middle of the handle, with interlacing tongues and slots. I'll draw a plan up in CAD and post it later. Then, I can thicken the handle as well.

[KellyG]

Just brainstroming but you may be able to cut both end flat then splice in a spice between the to make up the differenct you lost by cutting out the broken pieces. Then overlay as PatB suggested
Kelly

[John Lipinski]

That's what I was thinking, Kelly. I'm going to give it a shot once I can get back in the shop, but for now, final exams have me tied up for the next week. I'll let everyone know how it goes once I talk with my shop teacher/try something. The splice can also be thicker, so this doesn't happen again. I'm abandoning the two-piece take down idea, just going to get it back to a one-piece bow. The more I look at it, the more I think it can happen. Can't hurt to try, eh?

[Diamondback59]

john  if it was me  from what i see in the pic  id cut it down a bit  and make a splice  use gap filling epoxey and glue on a power lam also  and a piec of  whatever ya want id probly use a piece of hop horn beam   for a new handel re shape it  ya i relize ur gonna shorten the bow  and ull probly have to re tiller it  or  ya could clue in additonal wood and  fit the take down handels and re tiller  but i think ya can save it either way  just gonna take some time and elbow grease  brock

[John Lipinski]

This week is finals week: Today I had a calculus final, but after that it was free time to work in the wood shop! I was originally going to work on the bow for the swap that I started, but since the break I've been bowless and it's HORRIBLE. So, I worked on repairing this bow. Here are some pictures of how it went:

   
   
   
   

The new handle block is maple. I did well on my measurements, the length didn't change. I plan on getting epoxying and clamping that together pretty soon. A lamination will go on the back of the bow spanning about four to six inches above and below the lines where the woods meet. I'm going to resume work on the swap-bow next week when I'm back in the shop. Thoughts on what I have going right now?

[KellyG]

Now you going to put an overlay over the whole handle and splice. Hmmmmm I really don't know. It sounds good though. I would not pull it at all except on a tree the first 50 time or so. Do so from a distance. If you would have cut what stumps of the old handle diagonal instead of flat I would feel much better.  What are type of wood are you using for an overlay, that will be very important I would  think. I hope the veteran bowyers chime in.
Good Luck,
Kelly

[Diamondback59]

kelli im with ya i woldnt pull it at all if i was gonna splice it id  done a finger splice joint i dont think thats gonna hold  my 2 cents  brock

[John Lipinski]

@Kelly: I was thinking of a hickory overlay.

I don't feel too confident about it. I did the best I could with the tools my woodshop had; but it is cutting it close, that's for sure. The more I look at it, the more I think I should just finish the new one and throw this one in the fire. I'm going to set this one aside for now, I'll let you know if I end up gluing this together. Thanks for your input.

[KellyG]

Oh you got a lot futher than I have my first two are did not turn out. My first I maybe able to back some day and salvage

I would not throw it away or burn them. You may put it on a tree and stand back and it works fine. Or some other Ideal hits you.
URAC-185 glue I think would be your best glue choose but I am basing this off of what other have suggest to me in the past.
Kelly

[Diamondback59]

jphn you could always but it in half  use  what  ya have and fit  a set of take down sleeves  then re tiller it  tthats what  id do  be a heck of a lot safer and prettier  lol brock

[John Lipinski]

My father works for an airline, and has knowledge about crazy adhesives. He suggested one to me, and thinks it will do a better job than replacing the entire handle with steel (exaggeration). At the very least, my shop teacher told me to glue it up, and if I don't want to try drawing it, hang it on the wall for looks. He suggested putting a metal rod perpendicular to the joints through the area where they meet (running from back to belly) for both limbs. I might do that too after they get glued back together.

[Pat B]

You are putting a lot of effort into something that might not work. Don't you think your energies would be better suited making another bow?

[John Lipinski]

Originally posted by Pat B:
You are putting a lot of effort into something that might not work. Don't you think your energies would be better suited making another bow?

You hit the nail on the head there. I'm starting on a bingham's T/D recurve after I get the swap bow out.