Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: blades7558 on October 31, 2010, 02:23:30 pm

Title: what did i do?
Post by: blades7558 on October 31, 2010, 02:23:30 pm

so i recently made a hickory bow and it had quite a bit of set. i grabbed a heat gun and reflexed the limbs and shot it for a bit and some of the set came back. i re flexed it again and the set is a little better i started out with a poundage around 40something pounds. i checked it before and after shooting last night and the poundage went up to 55 at 28! what did i do?

Title: Re: what did i do?
Post by: sailordad on October 31, 2010, 02:25:17 pm

well i aint no expert
but it sounds like matybe the wood wasnt quit dry enough
using the heat gun may have dried it out more
which in turn brought up the draw weight

wet wood wil take set quiker than dry wood
but like i said i aint no expert  ;)

Title: Re: what did i do?
Post by: Pat B on October 31, 2010, 02:30:46 pm

Heat treating adds poundage, reflex adds poundage and drier wood adds poundage!

Title: Re: what did i do?
Post by: JW_Halverson on October 31, 2010, 02:37:21 pm

Sounds like you hit the Trifecta.  I tend to let a bow stand for a few weeks after I hit floor tiller weight.  That way I can take advantage of the natural tendency to come to equilibrium before tillering out.  Of course, with my ADHD, I usually take lots of breaks while tillering a bow, giving it more time to equal-...SQUIRREL!  Hey, have any of you guys ever...?
(*wanders off to look at a bug on the floor*)

Title: Re: what did i do?
Post by: aero86 on October 31, 2010, 02:55:38 pm

i wonder if its always the same squirrel thats like 5 feet from you when you dont have a bow or even a rock to throw, but wont come closer than 20 yards when your ready?  lol

Title: Re: what did i do?
Post by: cracker on October 31, 2010, 05:47:17 pm

I'm with these guys heat and reflex. Only I woulda got distracted from the bug and wound up in the fridge getting a beer.

Title: Re: what did i do?
Post by: blades7558 on November 01, 2010, 09:52:39 am

the tillering tree i used was the stick style and i didnt know to not leave it on for long. plus its always high humidity here... but yeah i can definatly see the gun dried the wood out... thanks!

Title: Re: what did i do?
Post by: Parnell on November 01, 2010, 01:35:58 pm

I did several hickory board bows, early on, I didn't know from heat treating and the set was more than wanted.  The humidity is very high where I live.  I'd keep the boards in the a.c. for a week or so and then heat treat 3 times during the tillering and they would come out doing the job with little to no set.