Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: sharpend60 on February 26, 2011, 02:54:37 pm

Title: Heat straighting vine maple.
Post by: sharpend60 on February 26, 2011, 02:54:37 pm

I have this piece of vine maple.
I know it's a problem stave but figured I'd I try and tackle it. Maybe I'd learn some thing along the way....

So far I've only learning what doesnt work.
Here's the deal.

It's 60 inches long 4 inches natural reflex. It's 1.5 wide at the fades and stays that way until 6 inches from the tips where it taper to 1/2 inch (for now).
It's got a nice floor tiller and braced it at 2 inches to see where the string tracks.

Heres the problem. It has a big propeller, that doesnt offend me too much, vine maple does that. But...

The tips track way off the center line of the bow.
Ive steamed them for an hour and clamped straight, left it over night, that didn't do squat.
A week later I oiled it up, hung 25lbs (!) off the tips, and heated that s.o.b. for 30 min, the gun was 4 inches away.
I left it that way for 3 hours on one limb and over night on the other. It's still un-usable.

Why isn't this piece correcting? 
I'm willing to let it go, I can get more wood. I don't however, like being beat but wood when I have a huge pot of water, a gnarly heat gun and a ton of clamps.

Any insight?

Title: Re: Heat straighting vine maple.
Post by: jthompson1995 on February 26, 2011, 03:22:28 pm

Can you try bending it in the handle to get the string on center? you may be able to make a fairly small change there and get big results. I wouldn't give up just yet.

Title: Re: Heat straighting vine maple.
Post by: Gordon on February 26, 2011, 04:20:39 pm

I've aligned the limbs on many vine maple bows. The only good way to do this is to build yourself a handle press and get a sturdy screw clamp. Steam heat the handle for about 45 minutes, then quickly transfer the bow to the press with the side you want to move the string toward up. Lay a piece of leather or small block under the clamp to protect the handle. Put the clamp on and screw it down until the tips move past what you want them to (they will spring back somewhat when you release the clamp). Leave clamped for a couple of hours. The hardest part is knowing when you've moved the tips enough - you just kind of get a feel for it after you've done enough of these.

Good luck.

(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/Bow%20Making/HandlePress2.jpg)

Title: Re: Heat straighting vine maple.
Post by: sharpend60 on February 27, 2011, 03:27:42 am

Fantastic.

Thanks guys.

I'll have a crack at it.
I knew there was another option out there.

Title: Re: Heat straighting vine maple.
Post by: aaron on February 27, 2011, 01:17:36 pm

yeah i have a handle press like that and steam for an hour or even a little more