Well guys she is my first blow up. It was going very well. I decided to go a lil heavy would have ended up 55+ when finished. Made a longbow stringer but one end was well back from the tip so it wouldn't hinder sliding the string up and while pulling it up POW she split faster than ya buddies when the police show up. Also right at the ends of the glued on riser I could see dark spots where the oil had seeped in. So the glue up was compromised some how in this area. I'm thinking I got to close with the heat gun when treating the back. Which I didn't apply much heat it didn't even change color much. While heat treating I put a one inch block under the handle area and clamped the tips down to remove the set while I was at it. It was only 3/4 of an inch of set maybe that stress while heating was my down fall I don't know. I also may not have turned the heat in the shop up enough while the riser glue up was curing?
However there was some spooky looking discoloration in the handle area it was a small area but two different colors in red oak isn't good. With anything else I could have just hid it but now I know it cant handle stress. It was in the exact area were one end of the split is. So I don't know which or which ones of these could have caused this poor creatures horrific and tragic death But whatever it was I should have known better so we learned a few things.
1. Always check temperatures when doing glue ups over night = DUUHH
2. Never use a longbow stinger until ya ask a pro how to use it proper like = DUUHH
3. Never get a heat gun close to tb2 glued joint = DUHH
4. When a nice looking board starts showing signs of potential issues with structural integrity when yo cut into it scrap it and move on = DUUHHH
Only one thing to do now fellows, ive got a 70 inch piece of hickory out there were gona make us a bow!
Topic: First bow explosion! Am i a bowyer now? (Read 5952 times)
