Its offical...I'm cursed this year

[Dave Bowers]

Having a heck of a time get a bow to stay together this year so far. I don't whats up, but I'm not liking it. Sorry fellas had to vent for a second or two.

 

[wood carver 2]

Don't feel too bad. I fed a few failed bows to the chop saw in the past few months.
Dave.

[Dave Bowers]

Yea I'll be turnin these guys into wood for the smoker  

[Roy from Pa]

I know the feeling Dave, last year I had 5 in a row break.

[jsweka]

Every now and then I start toying with the idea of trying my hand at non-glass laminated bows and then you guys post pics like that......  

[Dave Bowers]

Originally posted by jsweka:
Every now and then I start toying with the idea of trying my hand at non-glass laminated bows and then you guys post pics like that......    

Funny you should say that because I considering glass bows now. Its very frustrating to have your work blow up when your so close. But working with the would and having one come out is why I try it I guess.    

[Millhimes]

Man i resemble that remark.Been a rough one for me aswell--Joe

[Bowjunkie]

What kind of wood are those bows made of?

Got any pics of them at partial draw during tillering? If not, you should consider taking some and posting them here for folks to help you evaluate before you get crazy taking wood off.

I don't want to seem too critical, but I can see some tool marks going across the limb's belly on the bow on the right. You shouldn't have any 'steps' like that in the limbs when you begin bending them. It makes me wonder what other discrepencies are present... thickness taper discrepencies?

Like I said, I don't want to beat ya up... it's bad enough those bows broke on ya... just trying to help you figure this out....

[michaelschwister]

Get some osage.  Looks to  me like a ring violation on the back.

[George Tsoukalas]

Sorry, Dave. We all have been there.  Do you mind picking  one of those breaks and telling us what you could have done differently? Jawge

[Dave Bowers]

I've been working with Hickory since I'm a newbie. Bowjunkie, I think your right. I gotta be screwin up some where in the process.That bow you talking about didn't make past floor tillering when it went.

Heres a pic of the one that went this mornin. Its on the long string in the pic and when it went I had just switched a little shorter string..well under brace height imo.
Pic isn't the best I had to lean in to get it.
 

[jsweka]

Now ya got me real scared, because I was thinking of trying a hickory bow.

[Roy from Pa]

Dave that tillering string is way too long. Are you rounding off all the edges of the limbs before tillering? Do you floor tiller first to get a little bending in the limbs? Looks like both limbs are bending too much just outside the flares.

[Black Mockingbird]

Waaaaaay to long of a long string...the long string should be "touching" the handle or so...and that stave was nowhere near ready to be braced...one limb is bending more than the other and both limbs are hinged.

[Dave Bowers]

Hmmm...didn't know that about the long string. Thanks for informing me.
I was using Eric "gizmo" for tillering and it was showing a hinge? It did seem a little stiff at the fades, but like I said I was following what the gizmo was showing and scraping where the pencil mark where?
I far as the edges, I had thought rounding them came at the end...guess not

[LittleBen]

x2

[Roy from Pa]

On your next bow, get all the edges rounded first, square edges on the sides of limbs could be part of your trouble, also have the back and belly smooth with no gouges across them like in your picture, then floor tiller it till you see a nice even bend in both limbs. Then cut in your string grooves and string it up with a regular string, but the first time you string it, have the regular string laying tight up against the belly of the bow. The shorter string you use, the more stress you apply to the outer 3rd of the limbs. Those super long tillering strings lie. Work it on the tree down only 2 or 3 inches and look for any major problems like hinges or flat spots. If all looks good take it and inch more about 25 times and see how it looks, again correct any major problem areas. If all looks good keep working it down the tree till the limb tips are bending to 6 inches and all looks good. Then shorten the string and get it to a 3 inch brace height and repeat the above, pulling the bow on the tree  25 to 30 times each and every time you remove wood, and when you remove wood be sure to sand off any edges you created.  If all looks good then when the tips are bending to 9 inches, brace the bow to a 6 inch brace height and tiller on out to your draw length. As you work the bow down the tree, only pull it 2 inches farther of draw length 30 times and if all is good, go another 2 inches farther till your maximum draw. Never pull the bow past your final intended weight though, so you will want to check the weight as you come down the tree. Ya dig?  

[4est trekker]

Don't fret about it.  Learn WHY and HOW they broke, and use that knowledge the next time around.  Heck, I was out just this past weekend with a bow I needed to shoot in a little bit before I finished it out.  I had shot maybe 50 shots through it, and WHAMO!  It broke at full draw.  After I figured out what happened I went looking for the string (as it went flying), gathered some kindling, make a nice little fire with the two halves of the bow and brewed a nice cup of tea  

[George Tsoukalas]

Now, Dave, I forgo to ask if you were using boards or log staves? Only thing i can see on that bow is the right limb needs to bend a more close to the fades. Just use the long string to get the limbs bending enough to string the bow. If you are interested go to the buildalongs on my site and see how I determine when the bow is ready to be strung.  
 http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html
Jawge

[vanillabear?]