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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: DanaM on February 10, 2011, 08:25:00 PM

Title: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: DanaM on February 10, 2011, 08:25:00 PM
Broke this one tonight after it was finished and had been pulled a good 200 times on the tiller tree. Serviceberry D bow, 54" NTN sinew string, bear grease finish 47#@ 24"
Its a simple tension failure, I overstressed the wood and this is the result. Oh well its just a stick eh and I learned from it so it wasn't a failure but it was a lesson learned.

(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/DanaMont/Broke%20bow/IMG_0358.jpg)

(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/DanaMont/Broke%20bow/IMG_0357.jpg)

(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/DanaMont/Broke%20bow/IMG_0356.jpg)
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: red hill on February 10, 2011, 08:33:00 PM
Man, Dana, that looks like it was gonna be a good'un, too.
Stan
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: okie64 on February 10, 2011, 08:49:00 PM
Bummer, I feel your pain. Is serviceberry the same as hackberry?
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: 1oldbowguy on February 10, 2011, 09:16:00 PM
That sure hurts, sure was looking like it may have been a real good one.  Sorry!   What okie said, is that the same as hackberry?  Kind of looks the same.
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: razorback on February 10, 2011, 10:30:00 PM
Lost a kids bow tonight myself, know how you feel. Though mine wasn't finished so I saved a lot of time breaking it earlier in the process.
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: Roy from Pa on February 10, 2011, 10:45:00 PM
Been there myself a few times:)
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: Pat B on February 10, 2011, 11:03:00 PM
Sorry Dana. I gaurentee it won't be your last break!  d;^)  Fun ain't it?
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: Blue EagleBum on February 11, 2011, 02:00:00 AM
Sorry to see that. AT least you learned from it. Have learned more from broken ones so far. But it still isn't fun breaking them Godd luck on your next one.
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: DanaM on February 11, 2011, 08:18:00 AM
It was just a stick, I've been messin with this stave for over a year, it was crooked and twisted, kept puttin heat to it and trying to get things lined, would get disgusted and toos it in the corner and forget about it, but I kept coming back to it. Broke about 4" off one end at a knot so cut the other end off to match. Went from a ridged handle to a D bow. A simple backing of rawhide and it would be alive today. Oh well theres more wood in my corner of shame awaiting me LOL
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: DanaM on February 11, 2011, 08:19:00 AM
No serviceberry and hackberry are different. Serviceberry is a small tree/bush, its also known as shad bush and Saskatoon
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: KellyG on February 11, 2011, 08:51:00 AM
Well now that is not what we like to see, but hey if you got plenty of wood to work with then it aint to bad.
Happy Building,
Kelly
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: formerbutcher on February 11, 2011, 09:53:00 AM
It's been going around Dana !
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: SEMO_HUNTER on February 11, 2011, 10:25:00 AM
There's no better lesson in humility than a piece of wood that refuses to cooperate. Sounds like that one has been fighting you ever step of the way. My very first one made it all the way to the end and actually shot very good for nearly a month. Then it developed a splinter right at the edge of a knot that I sliced through with the band saw in all my fledgling bowyer's wisdom. I wrapped it good with flax comb and sealed with TBII then retired it as a constant reminder to pay close attention to those knots.

One of the smart old guys here, don't remember which one explained to me how the wood grain flows around a knot just like water flows around a rock in the middle of a stream. You have to leave it in the limb and work around it, or take it out completely......there is no in between.
Good advice and excellent explanation that I won't soon forget.

Sorry for your loss. The best way to get over it is learn from it and immediately start a new one. Get back up on that horse cowboy!   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: DanaM on February 11, 2011, 11:08:00 AM
Already have another one ready to finish:)
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: George Tsoukalas on February 12, 2011, 05:40:00 PM
"Good time Charlie's got the blues. "
If you ain't breakin' you aint makin!
Jawge
Title: Re: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!
Post by: Eastern fisher on February 12, 2011, 08:21:00 PM
So you too are living the dream.  Had a bow started not too long ago, started tillering it and yep it broke.  Could have cried, but got another one started.  Life goes on