Broke my first bow (pics added)

[DVSHUNTER]

Well, it finally happened.  I broke my first selfbow.  I had six bows come out shooting.  Each bow would shoot faster than the one before it and I started to feel like I was ready for a challange so I picked up a stave with six knots and a bit of snake and had it up to a draw of 24inches pullin about 55 pounds.  The tiller was looking good and I was in the home stretch.  Then out of the blue I heard that horrible sound...CRACK.  Ever so small at first.  I failed to follow the grain through one of the snakes and had the top layer split and crack.  Didn't break all the way and was thinking of trying a sinew bandaid, but then I saw another spot with a similiar flaw in the same limb and figured that I should just take the hint.  Oh well, live and learn and keep building... or breaking. :-)

[George Tsoukalas]

If you ain't breakin' you aint makin'! After 20 years I still break on now and then. Jawge

[DVSHUNTER]

Thank you for all your support too George.  It is because of guys like you that I was able to build em in the first place.

[bjansen]

Its alright DVS..part of making them is indeed breaking them...it hurts less when it costs less and it hurts less when you arent that far into it.....i broke a $150 dryad blank once....that was hard to get over

[DVSHUNTER]

yeah, I only broke a free stave, but I did have a lot of time in it.

[Pat B]

Just when you think you've got it....BOOM!
 Sorry it broke on you but if you learned something from the experience, it is not a failure. Will you post pics of the bow. It doesn't take much osage to make a good bow. Might be able to salvage it as a kids bow if nothing else.

[DVSHUNTER]

here are a few pics of the bow.

[DVSHUNTER]

the break is on the left side about straight down from the end of the 2 by 4. I can't pull it any farther anymore, but the tiller at 24 was pretty nice.  Both limbs were bending very smooth and I was going to work the ends of the limbs the rest of the way.

[DVSHUNTER]

[George Tsoukalas]

DVS, you are welcome. The left limb at mid limb was doing most of the bending. It needed more bending near the handle. Same thing with the right limb and it is a little stiffer. Jawge

[JEFF B]

yup i broke everyone i tried to make at $80 bucks a pop for americain white ash i dont make em anymore

[JMartin]

"Then out of the blue I heard that horrible sound...CRACK"  That'a sickening sound.