Thinking about trying a splice?

[Eric Krewson]

A dowel through a splice is a bad idea and doesn't make the joint stronger or more stable.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Originally posted by Living_waters:
Just ordered some this morning and after comparing shipping charges from a couple of places 3rivers was the cheapest.

Thanks for that tip, I was just wondering if anybody place else was cheaper. Like I said, I'm going to need it anyway so I'll just go ahead and get it ordered on Monday. It's not just every place that carries bow building supplies anyway, so bow builders are kinda limited as to where we can get our goods.

Don- They sure did a good job on the splice, I can barely see the lines in the handle. I think you were the one that I mentioned that I remembered reading a post about that bow?

What do you all think about a White or Red Oak lam over the handle portion? I know it may not need it, but I thought it might make the transition between the ring on each limb a little bit easier. Just thinking out loud.

[Roy from Pa]

Geeze Elmo, oop's Semo.. What kind of Bowyer doesn't have Urac185 in his shop? LOL

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
Geeze Elmo, oop's Semo.. What kind of Bowyer doesn't have Urac185 in his shop? LOL

Well Roybert, I haven't need it so far since I've only built one piece bows from a single stave.

But now I've got more billets than staves left so I need to learn how to use billets.
Wish me luck, I know you'll be lookin out for me.   :rolleyes:    

[Roy from Pa]

LOL.. Well now Elmo, if you are over stocked with billets, send me some son... All I ever use are billets and I have spliced prolly a hundred together with URAC 185.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
LOL.. Well now Elmo, if you are over stocked with billets, send me some son... All I ever use are billets and I have spliced prolly a hundred together with URAC 185.

Find me a tanned beaver hide and I'll match you up a pair of sisters......Deal?  

[Roy from Pa]

Now ya want me to get ya some beaver? LOL

[SEMO_HUNTER]

A Beaver for 2 sisters is a pretty good swap in my book! Your gettin 2 for the price of 1....LOL  

[Roy from Pa]

I'm working on it son...

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Ok, I got my Urac yesterday and was going to make a splice yesterday evening when the bandsaw blade broke in mid stream.
So I was dead in the water until I made a trip to Lowes today and got a new one.

Back in business and got my first splice glued up this afternoon @4:45pm and the temp was 72deg.F in the garage. Can says let sit for 6hrs, but I'm leaving it overnight.

BTW- Can says to refrigerate, but it didn't say anything about the hardner (powder) whether it needed to go in the frig or not?

Here's some pics of the glue up.
 

 

 

 

[Art B]

Nice job Chris! Looks like you got the hang of things. Splicing isn't that big a deal as you've discovered. And I think you'll really like working with limbs of similar working properties.

My powder sets out in my building winter and summer and works just fine....Art

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Thanks Art. It really wasn't that big of deal with the actual gluing and splicing. It's the stave preperation that takes a long time to get it flat and just so for the proper location on the glue up.

It's also going to get some red oak or white oak overlays when the splice is cured.

[CaptainJ]

Looking good Semo!
Watching this one with interest.

CJ

[Art B]

Why the overlays Chris? If you done things correctly, your splice will be stronger than a solid piece of wood. Hey, I cut shelfs into mine without any hesitation....Art

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Oh yeah, I think it's plenty strong no doubt about that. I just wanted some contrast around the grip area. I'm stepping outside my box a little on this one. It's still going to be a basic one piece Osage bow, just a little somethin added around the grip area.

These two pieces I splice were what I had laying around under my bench that were just left overs and were barely more than slats, so there's not much meat around the handle area for a grip anyway. The oak will beef it up so I have something to shape into a handle basically and hopefully it will look nice?

[Art B]

Never really trusted overlays on these selfbows myself because they still bend in the handle somewhat. I like to add a handle piece to the back of the handle to fill it out......Art

[Lee Slikkers]

Looking good Semo!  Is this going to turn into a "build-a-long"?  (hope so)    

[Roy from Pa]

Nice job Chris.

[Living_waters]

Good job Chris....... but where is the part about spending half a day straightening the billets? OOOOHH yeah you have straight wood, my bad I was thinking you only had this nasty tangled crooked mess like me. LOL

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Thanks guys, I think it turned out pretty good? I'm going to open the "Package" this afternoon and see what I got. It's like waiting on Christmas.


 

Originally posted by Living_waters:
Good job Chris....... but where is the part about spending half a day straightening the billets? OOOOHH yeah you have straight wood, my bad I was thinking you only had this nasty tangled crooked mess like me. LOL

Not always my friend, I have my share of crappy wood.    
I just take it all in stride and work around it like we all do. Each one is different and I've made some sweet shooting bows from staves that were ugly as sin. Staves that most guys would cut up into firewood. I've also made lots of firewood.

BTW- Did you all know that hedge burns awesome? It burns hot and leave very little ash.
Don't ask me how I know this.