Hello my bow making friends.After well over a dozen pairs of horn I’ve run into my first crack in the horn lamination after glueing up.Honest to God it was not there before I glued it up.No matter it’s here now.It may have occured when reverse bracing while applying the horn I figure.
It’s on the edge.Is it saveable to move forward with sinewing?What do you think Jere?
Here’s my forward thinking process.
The edge will get crowned or rounded there anyway.At first I was thinking to put some good epoxy in there,but then feeling it might not get deep enough I then
thought to put water thin super glue in there and wrapping it very tight.The crack does not go into the glue line of core to horn,but as you can see it migrates about 1/4" into the main body of the limb after travelng about an 1".I figure the main work on the horn will be on the crown and less towards the edge so it may not get compromised much.
While the bow is being shot it will be in compression anyway,but it needs to be repaired before more reflex is induced while sinewing.
I sure would like to move on with this bow.
Here are a few pictures using a tooth pick to prop it open…Think it’ll work?I’d like to hear your insightful opinions.
That is a superglue fix. Those happen, there is nothing to stop them!
If i have a narrow crack to put superglue into, i will heat the area with heatgun before applying glue. Or just after putting the glue. Watch out for the fumes though!! Not really healthy but makes it more runny.
Thanks.
After rounding of the horn with the convex scraper the crack completely disappeared.
I believe there would be stress in compression also.
I further tested by reverse bracing over a foot.No crack is appearing.
I’ll go ahead and sinew the bow.
It was the first time something like this happened.I should crowned or rounded the horn to a 2mm edge before glueing.It probably would not even have happened then.Something for me to remember next time.
