I started to work this piece of osage the other day and uncovered a sizable crack in my handle and fade area. It does not go all the way through in the fades but is pretty deep in the handle area. My question in what is the best way to proceed so not to blow this one up? Can a repair be made as i tiller and finish out the bow? I appreciate the input. This will be a 63" ntn longbow with a little reflex heated in.
Thanks Much
Treavor
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/77longbow/DSCN1643_zpsec4e06af.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/77longbow/DSCN1642_zps7f52224a.jpg)
It looks like that splinter runs off the edge of the limb on the left side of the handle. If so, that is bad news. Was the stave sawn out or split?
Pat It was split. The crack was there from the beginning I thought it may not be bad. The left side of the crack is thin until half way through the handle. Is it worth the effort and risk?
How wide is the wide part of the stave? You could possibly remove the splinter and still have enough wood to build a bow.
It is didn't run off the edge Id say just fill the crack with glue and go on with it.
If you can spread the crack,
fill it full of urac and clamp you would be good to go.
Just to see if I could do it I started with this.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/Frankenbowtearout.jpg)
Didn't have enough wood for a handle so I added this.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/frankenbowhandleside.jpg)
Shaped down to this.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/frankenbowshapedhandle.jpg)
And sold the finished bow for $80 to raise money for an ailing friend who was $80 short of what he needed for a project.
The bow surfaced in an archery shop in Chattanooga years later. The guy who bought it sent me this picture to see if I could identify the bow.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/Frankensteinnowpic.jpg)
So, you can get away with a crack that runs out through the fade if you have the right glue. The bow in the picture is bamboo backed which also helps it's structural integrety.
From left to right, the crack runs out to the edge as it moves to the right it goes to about center. At the point where it stops it is 1 1/2" wide not enough to finish a bow. Now the crack does not go all the way through from belly to back once it hits the fades. Not sure how deep it is.
Proceed with reckless abandon and little hope. What have you got to lose? Glue it up with some superglue and give it a shot. Good luck. Use care.