Handle Splice

[KochNE]

Was at Menard's the other day, and wanted to come up w/ a good piece of Maple for a bow.  I really liked how it worked on my previous try compared to the red oak.  Unfortunately, I heat-treated that one, pulled it too soon, and broke the top limb.  

Couldn't find a good 6 footer, but got two nice 4' sections.  Now I'll need to splice them in the handle, but I like a heavily contoured grip & cut-past-center shelf.  I'm worried that removing so much material will compromise the splice.  

What's the best joint for me to use?  I don't have access to a bandsaw, but I've made patience + my handheld coping saw work for me so far, and there is a scroll saw at my parents' place if need be.

-Tyler

[don s]

a "z" splice is what you would use imo. after you splice your two sections together, you could glue on a handle to thicken it up. then you can cut your shelf in and contour your grip as you see fit. should be plenty thick enough.
                                      don

[KochNE]

Yeah, it will have additional layers laminated to build up the handle.  Just wasn't sure if that was enough to hold it together, as most of the Z will be removed, with the handle at 1" or less.  Here's a picture of the red oak I'm working on currently...

 

[Eric Krewson]

The best way to lay out your splice for cutting is to draw it on a piece of paper and glue it to your wood with elmers glue. Line your patern up with a drawn centerline on your wood.

In the picture I am replacing a broken limb with new wood.

[don s]

eric. the way i did my z splice was to draw it on one section and piggy back it on the second and tape together and cut thru both sections at the same time. it was the only time i did a z splice and it worked well. don't want to high jack the thread. i just wanted to show another way to splice. btw, both sections were board form.
             don

[hova]

i take it even with a z-splice youre still not doing bend through handle bows?


just curious , i have some lumber available but it would still only make a 40 or 45" bow at the very most...


-hov

[don s]

the splice is suprisingly extremely strong. with a low poundage bow i don't see why you can't do a bend in the handle design. i have an old indian archery flatbow that i posted about not too long ago. when i took it apart to refinish i found that it is a two piece z spliced bow. plus, a small hole was drilled into the splice. the reason being, the handle section was not just glued but doweled in place. that bow is stamped and pencil marked 55. i believe it refers to the poundage.
                 don

[KochNE]

"I just guess.  If it breaks, I guessed wrong."
-John Scifres

I guessed wrong.  Getting some practice for my maple splice.  Red oak paddle/ flatbow/ holmegaard/ etc. that I'd hoped to finish tillering today or tomorrow decided to snap last night as I just nearly had it braced w/ its brand new string.  Ungrateful bow     I'd just read a thread about making sure the shelf is radiused into the strike plate area.  Guess where it let go?

Last Living photo taken...
 

BOOM!
 

[1oldbowguy]

:(   Ouch!  Sorry.  

[red hill]

Last summer I used a "w" splice to put two osage billets together.  One of the limbs broke completely through at the fade but the other limb is still in tact. Would it be viable to splice another limb on to the one good limb I still have?
Stan

[bigcountry]

that huge shelf your adding is what is killing you.

[ranger 3]

I did like you a broke one limb and spliced another piece on and tilled it.
Here's one I did a while back and it is still going strong.