BBI Bomb Waiting to Go Off?

[Msturm]

Hey there everyone!  I am building a 62in BBI reflex Longbow.  

I got the short string on it and its to about 15 inches and bending pretty uniformly.  

However now that I am scraping the limbs  I noticed this little gem!

Is it a deal breaker?  No big deal? Options?

 

I have noticed that as I tiller and scrape that it migrates. Left to right on the above pic.  I am hoping that it disappears completely as I think it is quite shallow. BUT who knows... Here are some pics of the sides of that same section.

 

Other side
 

Dangerous location
 

and the bow so far.
 


Let me know!!

[Msturm]

I apologize for the double post

[mikkekeswick]

Normally those swirly bits indicate where a pinknot lay in the tree.
Unfortunately the photo of the side isn't clear enough to be able to get a good read on how far into the belly lam it goes.
Personally I don't like the look of it but i've got away with some wild grain with ipe...only way to know for sure is to carry on!
What weight are you pulling now and what are you aiming for?
I would also get the handle fades to blend into the limbs at a much less steep angle at this point.

[canopyboy]

This is going to sound very negative. I know people who have never had a problem with ipe. Not me, I haven't touched the stuff in a couple of years now because I've had what it looks like in your picture. I hoped it was a pin knot that would disappear as I scraped a little more and finished tillering and yours may be. But mine was a chrysal/fret. Tried to just make a new bow and had the same problem in the same spot. Found that if you looked super careful you could see a slight fracture or damage to the grain in the board I was cutting my slats out of. Tried a different board from the same batch and the location of the fret changed, but again I could find wood grain damage in the board when I looked with a magnifying glass and scraper that lined up with the chrysal in the bow.

Doing some research, I found that sometimes it happens when they fall these big trees. You end up with a weak spot and you're toast. At least for bow building -- they still make good decking. You really can't see 'em until you start flexing the wood. I got a bad batch apparently. If it gets worse instead of better, then it's probably not a pin knot swirl and you're in the same boat I was in.

I successfully saved two of the bows by plugging that area and adding a belly lam. One was osage and another was bamboo. Both bows came out great. As far as I know they are still shooting. The other bow I tried fixing without a belly lam and that blew up.

Best of luck. Hope your case is different than mine.

[fujimo]

i have had pin knots before- and the bows are fine- but if it is a defect like dave had- then that would be a deal breaker.
trust the two fellas above- they know their stuff!
ipe is a funny wood- when its good , its really good- but then when its bad...
i have always wanted to get an ipe stave!!- got friends in argentina- who say it is most often left in fields and paddocks as a shade tree- with beautiful scented blossoms!
good luck mate!

[Roy from Pa]

Cantaloupe boy knows his stuff? Now that's funny right there..  

[canopyboy]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
Cantaloupe boy knows his stuff? Now that's funny right there..    

I wish. But then I wouldn't have anything interesting to share.

I do know I'm overdue for a trip to western PA.

[Roy from Pa]

Bring good beer this time...  PBR    

Be good to see you again though,....cough,....choke, god did I just type that?      

[Black Mockingbird]

You could scoop it out and glue in a patch...some call it a torges patch. If your that unconfident with it that's what I'd do. I've done it before with success.

[canopyboy]

The Torges patch using smooth-on was what failed on me on the one that never made it. I used acetone to try and prep the wood, but ipe is a bit oily. I think a coarser grit surface and a very shallow angle might have helped if you do go that way.

And Roy, I did have PBR in the car last time. But it got warm by the time I got to your place so I picked up some cold Yuengling instead. Next time I'll just hand over the warm PBR. And of course bring more.

As for the coughing problem, apparently I'm not friendly enough to you on the forum. I'll work on that.

[canopyboy]

oops

[Msturm]

Well she went bang!  as soon as it was braced at 4 inches. POW!

[mikkekeswick]

Umm...I thought it may go that way.
Sorry to hear that but at least you learnt something