Main Discussion Area > Bows
Questions and answers
superdav95:
--- Quote from: Muskyman on January 09, 2024, 11:39:50 am ---Okay, the subject says questions and answers so I guess I’m not hijacking The thread if I ask one am I. If I am I apologize.
Question
I have a yew bow I built last year that took about 2-3 inches of set. Would it help it if I put it on a reflex form and heated it then put rawhide on the back. It shoots okay and seems to have decent cast. Or should I just love it for what it is.
--- End quote ---
Hey mike. It would depend on wether you had previously put heat to it for corrections and such and how long. Yew does see benefits to heat but not like white woods or even Osage in my opinion. It tends to get brittle with too much heat in my experience. If you have not applied heat yet to the belly then you may see some marginal results with a little heat on belly but if this bow has already been compressed and stretched wood fibers out to full draw it may not see much benefit. If it shoots good now I might just leave it be. If it is not up to my expectations I may be tempted to sinew back it and do a few scrapes on belly to get back to weight. Rawhide will be a good protective cover but not provide any cast enhancements from my experience. Hope this helps ya
superdav95:
--- Quote from: Selfbowman on January 09, 2024, 12:04:46 pm ---Bob I’m thinking put it back on the caul and heating the bow up and brushing on the hide glue as I go down the limb. I have a bow I’m working on that started out 3-1/4 tips in front of the handle . I think at least a 1/2” just pulled out. It’s now 2-1/2”. Ya I’ll probably try the hide glue.🤠I’ll let you know.
--- End quote ---
I e not tried hide glue to this extent and purpose but have done this to a lesser degree of heat on belly of horn bow build to get the wood cells good and opened up to more readily accept the sizing glue.
I have used Marc’s method with good results. He has a video showing the process online I think that I referred to. I also used his method and used “cactus juice”. It’s a hardening heat activated resin that hardens at around 250 degrees. I had a bunch of this left from my knife building days for stabilization of wood handles. I found that this added some mass but also hardened up the belly. It likley added some waterproofing too but cannot say to what extent. I just used a heat gun set up and crept along and brushed on the liquid resin with a brush and it soaked into belly wood and hardened at same time. I’ve done this with bamboo self bows hickory and maple.
willie:
--- Quote ---I have used Marc’s method with good results. He has a video showing the process online I think that I referred to. I also used his method and used “cactus juice”.... I found that this added some mass but also hardened up the belly. It likley added some waterproofing too but cannot say to what extent.
--- End quote ---
Hi Dave
with either "Marcs method" or "his method with Catcus juice" can you share a little more about what the good results were performance wise?
stuckinthemud:
One strange thing I have noticed about yew is that a gentle heat soak can relax a small amount of set out of a bow. I gently and slowly heat the bow until I feel the back begin to warm, very little colour change on the belly. I don’t use a caul for this
superdav95:
--- Quote from: willie on January 09, 2024, 03:00:40 pm ---
--- Quote ---I have used Marc’s method with good results. He has a video showing the process online I think that I referred to. I also used his method and used “cactus juice”.... I found that this added some mass but also hardened up the belly. It likley added some waterproofing too but cannot say to what extent.
--- End quote ---
Hi Dave
with either "Marcs method" or "his method with Catcus juice" can you share a little more about what the good results were performance wise?
--- End quote ---
I’m not certain as to any performance increase per se. The reason I say this is that I noticed an increase in mass afterwards. A one step forward and then a step back. Give and take situation in my estimation. Ya it increased the belly hardness on the ones I did but with the added mass it was a wash in my opinion performance wise. I did notice a slight speed increase in one of the bamboo bows I tested initially but this settled into previous numbers after some shooting. I think that it may have some other benefits too though like the ability to seal up and more deeply seal up the belly wood from some moisture I suspect. The hickory also saw no speed lasting increase at all and did not seem to see any difference in speed or the way it cast an arrow. Very slight increase in mass due to the resin using marks method. I did test on couple hickory bows one that was previously heat treated over coal bed (medium cook) and noticed more of an increase in mass then the other. Can’t remember the number in grams but it was little more then heat treat with heat gun and applied resin as I went along. I have to think this had something to do with level of moisture is pushed out with coal bed cook vs heat gun. At least as far as I’ve been doing it. Results I’m sure would vary. The previously heat treated bow again settled into previous speeds prior to resin heated in. More testing would be needed I think to determine clearer results I believe. I’ve often wondered what affects would be seen if one was to vacuum pressure a set of limbs in a chamber with resin. I’ve made a vacuum chamber for wooden knife scales to wether proof them and just keep it running till bubbles stop and the wood is fully saturated with resin. I would then bake them according to the instructions for the resin. I wonder what performance if any might be had in doing this. Not very primitive for sure but might be cool experiment.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version