Main Discussion Area > Bows
Eastern Woodlands build Part 1
superdav95:
Good stuff mike. We are on the edge of our seats.
Muskyman:
Looking good Mike. Heating and bending always freaks me out. It’s part of it for sure but, it still makes me nervous. Definitely starting to straighten up.
Zugul:
M2A I understood everything you said, I think my problem with heat bending is the fact that my heat gun has only 2 settings: 350°C (660°F) and 550°C (1020°F). This time I used the high setting while keeping the heat gun 2" away from the stave and moving it pretty fast over a section 8" long. I got a bit of colour change only after heating the same section with oil on the surface for a total of 25-30 minutes in 3 different sessions, letting the wood rehydrate for a cuple days between them. The stave is still not completly straight, so I'll have to do one more. This time I'll try the lower temperature setting while slowing down the heat gun movement, I hope to be back on my thread with positive news.
M2A:
Thanks Dave.
Muskyman. yeah the learning curve for me took awhile to be able to add enough heat to bend it and have it hold. Still have those pieces that can be difficult.
Zugul. seems like 25 min at high temp is a bit long to not get much color change over 8". I keep my heat gun at most and inch away from the wood and keep it moving. maybe not fast but not slow either. If your trying to straighten maybe go with the low heat until you can get some movement then high heat for a little to get what you need. If you can get the string on the handle you can always adjust the tips some to adjust how the string lines up on you handle. Steam works well too but I have not used it enough to give any advice. I'd try the higher setting on your gun to heat treat i think. 4-5 min over your 8"area might be a good guess. looking forward to good things on your build.
Heat treated my stave. went from 22 inches down to 19 on the tillering tree at 42 lbs. Spent some time evening things up and roughed in the nocks.
IMG_5865 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr
I like to bevel the belly side so the modern string does not split the grain.
Also was able to get it to a 4" brace height.
IMG_5866 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr
Here is where it will get interesting. I can just see some set creeping in at mid limb. I dont think I have the tips doing enough work still so will be slowly working on them. My goal was and still is a small bit of reflex when finished, even if i end up with 1" of string follow when shot in I'll consider it a success. Its 43 lbs at 23 inches now. 4 more inches to go. 1.5" of reflex in it yet so lost about .5 inches overall so far. Here is it unstrung.
IMG_5868 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr
Hope to get a picture in hand when I get it to 25". I usually would trap the back now but don't think I will be doing it to this one because I have one small pin knot close to the one edge.
Thats it for now
Mike
Pappy:
Looking good Mike, can’t wait to see it finished. Pappy
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