Anyone think this is gonna be a problem?

[Dave Bowers]

After my first bow breaking on me yesterday. I headed out this morning to get another board to work with to try and get a bow going. I didn't see this when I was choicing my board. But as I started roughing out the limb I ran into this area (pictured below). This spot I am concerned with is on the belly of the bow. If anyone has any insight I would appreciate it any suggestions.

[razorback]

Where is it in relation to the handle. It looks like you have taken more wood off either side of it. If you keep roughing, thinning the limb towards the tip starting at this point, you will probably eliminate it.

[Dave Bowers]

Gotcha, its roughly locate on the last 1/3rd of the limb. Just about where the limb starts to tapper for the tips.
I do still have a good bit of thinning to do on the limbs.

[eman614]

are you going to back the bow?

[Dave Bowers]

With my last one breaking on my I think I am gonna back this one.

[George Tsoukalas]

Is that a rounded belly? There are buildalongs on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[Roy Steele]

Although some board bows make as a bow.All board bows should be be backed with a backing of some sort.
 As for your bow I think you maybe able to work it out in the handle area.

[ChristopherO]

Did you study the broken bow to see what caused the failure?  That is always helpful to do in your learning process.  It has me.
There are thousands of board bows backed and unbacked that shoot well and kill game on a yearly basis.  Keep at it and you will have a very usable weapon.
I don't know what species of wood you are using but Hickory isn't a wood that needs a backing very often when making a board bow.

[Pat B]

If that is on the belly and it bends well through the area, I wouldn't worry about it.  The belly can handle areas like that where the back can not.

[John Scifres]

It lloks to me like the grain does a little roller coaster.  What's the back look like?  That's the more important side regarding this.

[Eric Krewson]

One of the earliest pieces of bow making instructions I came across stated that the grain should be feathered down the belly of a bow. I messed up several bows trying to achieve this affect before I realized this is info was just another of the ever present myths of bow making handed down by people who thought they knew enough about bow making to write a book.

Worry more about the tiller than how the grain appears on the belly and you shouldn't have any problems with the area you are concerned with.

[Pat B]

It takes a pretty precise piece of wood to be able to have the grain feather down center of the belly of the bow...and there ain't too many of them out there. Like Eric said, Pay attention to your tiller and not necessarily the grain on the belly.
 With your thumb and fore finger you can feel the thickness but also the differences in thickness along the limbs. This works well across the limbs too.