Hello everyone! I'm new to this site and the selfbow world. I have been shooting bows and hunting since I was 8 and I just made my first bow, gifted to my wife.

The lower limb is starting to split on one side. About 14" below the center on the back of the bow. Can/should it be repaired?

I was thinking of gluing on a sinew patch then tightly wrapping it in epoxy soaked serving string or Dacron 50. What do you think? Any personal experiences or insight is greatly appreciated! As long as I learn something to put towards my next bow, this first one won't be a waste!

Bow info: Red Oak board backed with triple layer drywall tape and Titebond II 70" long #35 @ 26" The crack is about 2" long

We need a better description of the location and direction of the 'crack'... and pictures would help immensely. We can't offer advice until we know exactly what you're dealing with.

Picture upload isn't working for some reason. It's pretty deep and goes about half the width of the limb, split on the back, up towards the grip and the belly belly at about a 20 degree angle.

I would wall hang it and start over. I tried to large cracks on some of my first attempts and they all broke anyway. Best to be safe then sorry.

Agreed, thanks. Especially since it's my wife's bow, I'd hate to have that thing explode. Here's to learning! On to bow #2. At least the first one looks nice.

Use hickory next time.

Is it an open crack, like 1/16" wide, or hairline, how wide is the opening, if there is one? I've had good results with squirting Gorilla brand Superglue to fill a crack and then clamping it together for an hour or so.

Building bows is a learning process. You gave your wife the first bow you built before you learned how to build bows. I would cut it up and throw it away and keep practicing, I would also not use any fiberglass on them if you want to build a self bow. Select a good piece of wood for starters and then carefully tiller it out. Repeat the process until you learn what you are doing and then gift your wife a truly nice bow. Good Luck!

My site may help you. Jawge

http://traditionalarchery101.com

A few things. Its not a self bow once you add drywall tape to it. Skip the tape, it does nothing and its ugly. Red oak is very finicky and not good bow wood. Go with hickory if you are going to build board bows. If its cracked on an angle its either a grain crack (poor board selection), or its a compression fracture (poor design/tiller). Id suggest hanging it up and starting over correctly with good materials. Ask questions here and post pics. I promise a good bow if you do.

I have fixed a bunch of cracked bows but caught them early, a 2" crack is pretty big.

What I would do; spread the crack and fill it full of a good wood glue like TB3. clamp it and let the glue set up then wrap the cracked area with string serving thread about 1/2" past the ends of the crack. Next, soak the tread wrap with super glue until it won't hold anymore. I have a picture of such a wrap but the photo feature on this site is not working.

I would consider the above an experiment and gingerly try to shoot the bow, don't give it to your wife until you have put enough arrows through it to be confident in its repair.

If you hear anything go "tink", confine the bow to the trash and call it done.

make 10 bows that work, then gift,,

Build another it will last longer!

Just split it down the middle......ya'got 2 bows!!!!

Fire wood Start over Find a good billet chaulk it up to experience and do it again

And like Jawge says, "If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin'".

Better luck next time. It took me about 6 before I got one that would shoot.

TMBB

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