Hornbow stringing and drawing problem
When you string your bow for the first time, I understand that you have to take it slow and be careful not to break the limbs and that it will crackle a bit.
And so I've done, and after a few days of gradual pulling I reach full draw, but here's the problem; if I leave it unstrung, or just even don't draw it, it will crackle again the next time I attempt to draw it. It feels as though it would break if I don't do the gradual pulling again. This has been repeated a couple of times now.
What could the problem be? It has been curing for some months now and the limbs are covered with birch bark. The glue is hideglue.
And so I've done, and after a few days of gradual pulling I reach full draw, but here's the problem; if I leave it unstrung, or just even don't draw it, it will crackle again the next time I attempt to draw it. It feels as though it would break if I don't do the gradual pulling again. This has been repeated a couple of times now.
What could the problem be? It has been curing for some months now and the limbs are covered with birch bark. The glue is hideglue.
Simon, could you post pics of the strung and unstrung bow?
Some questions to point the source of the problem:
Have you coated the sinew-backing with a very thin solution of hideglue before the final glueing? Have you watered the birchbark for at least one night before glueing it to the bow? What?s the drawweight and drawlength of your bow?
Michael
Some questions to point the source of the problem:
Have you coated the sinew-backing with a very thin solution of hideglue before the final glueing? Have you watered the birchbark for at least one night before glueing it to the bow? What?s the drawweight and drawlength of your bow?
Michael
Simon
One source of horrible cracking noises can be using too much (or too thick) glue in the sinew backing. As the bow bends the sinew stretches more than the glue leading to large numbers of tiny cracks across the back.
My first composite suffered from this - the noise gradually reduced over time as the glue ran out of places to crack.
Andrew
One source of horrible cracking noises can be using too much (or too thick) glue in the sinew backing. As the bow bends the sinew stretches more than the glue leading to large numbers of tiny cracks across the back.
My first composite suffered from this - the noise gradually reduced over time as the glue ran out of places to crack.
Andrew
Michael,
I'm not sure what you mean by final glueing, but I've never covered the sinewbacking with a very thin solution of hideglue (would this prevent cracking?). I soaked the birchbark for several days before attaching it (now I put glue on the sinewbacking :?). The drawweight I estimate to be about 50 lbs. at 29'' (though this is after my crack-preventing method resulting in severe stringfollow).
Andrew,
I may have used too much or to thick glue. There were a lot of cracking at the first stringing which eventually disappeared, but when I let it rest and strung it again, it cracks once more. So it seems the cracks somehow would "heal" themselves. This was not a problem with my first composite (this is my third), then it was just as you describe yours.
I'm not sure what you mean by final glueing, but I've never covered the sinewbacking with a very thin solution of hideglue (would this prevent cracking?). I soaked the birchbark for several days before attaching it (now I put glue on the sinewbacking :?). The drawweight I estimate to be about 50 lbs. at 29'' (though this is after my crack-preventing method resulting in severe stringfollow).
Andrew,
I may have used too much or to thick glue. There were a lot of cracking at the first stringing which eventually disappeared, but when I let it rest and strung it again, it cracks once more. So it seems the cracks somehow would "heal" themselves. This was not a problem with my first composite (this is my third), then it was just as you describe yours.
Hi Simon, sorry for my late reply!
After having seen your pics I don?t see any failure in the bend of the strung and unstrung bow. I think Andrew has pinpointed the problem with the cracking glue.
Final glueing means to glue the bark on the bow with a thicker solution, after having coated the back of the bow several times with a very thin solution of glue.
I don?t know what the model for your bow is, but the grip- section seems to be very long, bending-section is short. There is a lot of stress. This could be the reason for the stringfollow.
Michael
After having seen your pics I don?t see any failure in the bend of the strung and unstrung bow. I think Andrew has pinpointed the problem with the cracking glue.
Final glueing means to glue the bark on the bow with a thicker solution, after having coated the back of the bow several times with a very thin solution of glue.
I don?t know what the model for your bow is, but the grip- section seems to be very long, bending-section is short. There is a lot of stress. This could be the reason for the stringfollow.
Michael
Thanks for your help!
The stringfollow is not really a problem since I'm a beginner, so I just want it not to break. And the cracking will probably go away after some shooting. Anyway it works and that's good enough for me!
The stringfollow is not really a problem since I'm a beginner, so I just want it not to break. And the cracking will probably go away after some shooting. Anyway it works and that's good enough for me!