Main Discussion Area > Bows
Doglegged Stave
Pat B:
If it is a dry stave, seal the back before you steam it or it might check when it dries again. Shellac works well to seal when steam is used. I buy Bullseye spray shellac at most paint and hardware store. Pat
jkekoni:
Make the handle. Use dry heat on the handle to get the tips in the line with center point. The rest does not have to be in line.
You can also correct some string that is not centered.
George Tsoukalas:
Wasatchhawk-Like Tom Sawyer said follow the vertical grain or crown when laying out the bow. Also, I leave the handle full width and nocks wide-a good inch until at least stringing for the first time. That way you can shape the handle accordingly to track the string and you can cut one side of the nocks further to track the string on the handle. If all that fails than I heat to track the string. If you run a string from tip to tip where does it fall in the handle area? Jawge
Wasatchhawk:
It's steaming as I type.
This mulberry stave still has some drying to do, I guess. Every day it changes shape. When I took the pictures the other day the tips would have had the string about 3.5 inches to the right. Today it was 3/4 inch to the right, with a twist correcting some of it.
I set up ropes and blocks to take care of the dogleg and the twist at the same time so I don't end up restoring one bend each time I fix the other.
Do you think 30-45 minutes of steaming should be enough?
Randy
Justin Snyder:
Didn't you just cut this stave a couple of weeks ago. It will need at least 2-3 months to dry. As green as it is you can probably just clamp it to a form and let it dry. It will probably hold its clamped shape. As a general rule for steaming, it is about 15 minutes for each 1/4" of thickness. If it is still wet it will need clamped to a form until it is dry even if you straighten it now. Justin
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