giant crack advice (pics added)

[bowberry]

im building a black locust self bow from a 2 inch diameter tree. along the way from tree to stave it developed a 8" long crevice, very deep and 1/8" wide. on the back,From the fades down the thickest part of the bottom limb. no pics,sorry

 the wood is now very, completely dry and becoming a very nice bow project.

what is the best method to fill/glue/protect this area? at full brace or unstrung?

all input welcome.

I am going to town so I cant answer questions?

Thanks to all.

Scott

[Pat B]

Sounds like a drying check. How did you prepare the stave once it was cut?

[bowberry]

I glued the ends and clamped it in  straightening jig. one of the clamps tore the skin/bark.the unprotected wood dried too fast and cracked.

next try will be better.

meanwhile this one is coming out great with a cool grand canyon thing on its face/back.

should I fill it with some kind of epoxy or leave it alone? or maybe just some glue? or superglue?

scott

[Roy from Pa]

By the sounds of it, I'd start another bow.

[bowberry]

you guys aren't much help.

 lets just say that a person was stubborn and going to finish the bow anyway, warts and all.

Has any one ever filled or glued a crack?

[Pat B]

If it has a big check in it, split it there. That is your only option.
 Was this still in the round of had it been split?

[mikkekeswick]

You can't have a 'grand canyon' check on the back of a bow.
Bows work because the backs wood fibers are unbroken. This is the big, golden, do not break  number one rule of selfbows.

However bows have been made with cracks on the back but you haven't shown any pictures so how can we offer better advice?

[John Scifres]

If it right down the middle and does not run off the side in a working area, you have a chance.

I would fill it with an epoxy/sawdust putty and then wrap it with epoxy soaked serving thread. You have to get it really close to final dimensions though since you won't have the ability to remove wood after you wrap it.

But be realistic about your expectations.  That big of a crack is usually a fatal flaw.  Try and make a shooter out of it but my experience is that they don't last long even with a much smaller check in them.

Black locust like to be rectangular in cross section and flat.  A stave from a 2" tree is definitely a challenge.  Small trees are notorious for checking during drying so handling is critical.  If I were making a bow from that tree, I would cut it and take it down to near bow dimensions all at the same time.  It is really important that you get the thickness down to around 5/8" for the entire stave, except at the handle.  I would also decrown the back and make it a rectangular cross section.  After doing this all in one sitting, I would coat it with several coats of shellac.  I would then strap it (strong packing tape works well) to a 2x6 that I had cut to a gentle reflex.  Then I would put it in a moist, cool area for a  couple months after which I would  gradually bring it to less moist areas, like in a heated house.  After a couple more months, it should be ready to to work.  If not, put it i n your attic during the summer and it'll dry in a couple weeks.

[scrub-buster]

A picture would be very helpful

[John Scifres]

There sure are a lot of guys asking for pictures of your giant crack.  You better give in.

[Roy from Pa]

John, LMAO...  

[Mad Max]

Originally posted by scrub-buster:
A picture would be very helpful

x2

[bowberry]

thanks to all.sorry so slow in response. work ect.

Im working on getting a picture. soon

the wood fibers on the back are not broken they are separated. so in my mind there might be hope.

[bowberry]

The cycle of the bow.


When I started building bows, only two years ago, I went way over board. Like many other people I assume. One project after another. Forcing the learning curve with no end in sight.

Consuming every spare moment of thought,I thought about and built bows,shafts arrows and trade points.

My other relationships suffered. I needed intervention.

I then discovered black locust.Growing every where in my back yard. I literally have a garden with hundreds of bows growing. Cool.

Last winter/spring I built my first black locust hunting bow. A 50 lbs longbow.
I rushed. I worked it too green.The end result is a real sweet shooter with a lot of set and frets or checks on the belly.

I shot it all spring and summer and proudly carried it in the woods all fall.

Mean while I had cut a good looking black locust sapling early in the spring.I had it clamped straight and drying all summer. I built no bows the rest of the year.

So now the cycle is repeating. Not as many bows as I can make like before. Just one. One per year.One harvest. One stave. One bow. Four seasons.

So this years bow has a giant crack. hopefully next years wont, but I will continue to work this one until it is a shooter or firewood.Either way, last years bow is still a sweet shooter.

Scott

[Pat B]

With small diameter trees I like to saw them in half then bind them back together with spacers between them for air circulation. This way the 2 halves support each other to help prevent twisting as they dry...and when they are ready you have 2 staves.
 When cutting staves, cut more than one at a time. Even if you don't have time to work them into bows, when you are ready you already have dry staves.

[bowberry]

That is good advice Pat. I guess two or three in the wait would be good. Picking the best one every winter could be part of my annual tradition.

Scott

[Roy from Pa]

You will find that the wood will work better if dried for 2 years at least.

[bowberry]

I saw in a recent post, some one else building a black locust bow. Some one posted no need for tip overlays on black locust.

Why is that?

can i groove into the back while forming self nocks? seems risky

[fujimo]

dont groove the back- just the sides and the belly.

[bowberry]