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Help with heat corrections on osage. /. Updated
superdav95:
All good advise here from guys who know. I remember that build of yours too musky! Well done. I’d thin down some more as you’ve said and steam the big corrections and use dry heat for the minor ones. I also would be inclined to steam in the recurve of tips then resolve twist and alignment issues. Best of luck with it.
bentstick54:
Thanks Gordon and Dave. I really don’t have a set up for steaming. I have very limited room in my basement, that is my “hobby” room. My bench is a Black & Decker workmate that is not super stable, and have limited clamps to work with, I would have to set up to steam in my garage, which is about 5degrees, and would lose to much time trying to get it to the basement to get it clamped down. So I will take it a little at a time with dry heat.
That being said I got it closer to side profile, thinned both limbs down to about 5/8” and shellaced the back. I got my form set up and the bow clamped in place. The top limb in the original photos is the worst, with twist one way then the other, then back and forth with multiple twist directions changes to the tip. I think I should be able to move the last 6” of the tip over when I take the twist out of that last 6”. Then I will know if that’s enough to line up the tips, so I’ll know how much of the sideways snake I will have to deal with.
bentstick54:
Here’s my 1st attempt in the 1st 8” from the handle taking some twist out. If it holds, I’ll move the bow down on the form, and work on the next 6” or 8” section twisting back the other way, and continue the same way to the end.
bentstick54:
Forgot the picture
superdav95:
Steam will allow for larger corrections is all. You may find with your approach of tackling it but by bit will work just fine. You may not even need to get all the wiggles out so long as the tips are in good alignment and the bend is good it will shoot well. Sometimes we get into this mode of imposing our will onto a piece of wood and the wood let’s us know it doesn’t want to comply. It may be better in some cases to let the wood somewhat dictate what the bow will be. Sure it may not be perfectly straight but it shoots good. Looks like you are starting with a decent piece of Osage which is pretty resilient. I use a an old Wagner wall paper steamer attached to a section of 4” diameter abs pipe about 3’ long. I just capped off the one end and attached my steamer hose to it. It works well and doesn’t take a lot of space. The good thing about steam aside from its ability to make bigger corrections is that you cannot over do it in heat or over heat your piece. Steam is pretty constant and safe for wood integrity. The Heat gun can scorch and can be over done if done too much. Just take it slow and I’m sure you have it bending in no time.
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