Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: stringstretcher on October 20, 2012, 08:02:04 am

Title: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: stringstretcher on October 20, 2012, 08:02:04 am
I would really like to see some before and after pictures of especially osage that you have heated and bent to get reflex/deflex, and taking kinks out of wood.  Please post up some pictures of some that you have done.
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: Stringman on October 20, 2012, 08:08:59 am
This bow was fairly straight to begin with, but one end was unevenly reflexed. I have put the bow through several sessions to date.
(http://i1311.photobucket.com/albums/s670/cotton7611/3E4C7B8A-E37E-43EB-95FE-5B3823648C1E-3825-000005A4A6B23760_zps1a10ed23.jpg)
(http://i1311.photobucket.com/albums/s670/cotton7611/1C4015BA-242D-4130-A568-EFD00FCC54FF-1678-00000269F9E16BAF_zpsbb197997.jpg)

Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: gstoneberg on October 20, 2012, 08:53:09 am
Here's Scott's bow from the 2011 trade:

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5135/5535541517_cc378e1266_z.jpg)

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5104/5685901106_0869b2055b_z.jpg)

And this is Rick's bow from this year's trade:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6826612145_2323bd2938_z.jpg)

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7191/6884269785_bb3b92721b_z.jpg)

George
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: stringstretcher on October 20, 2012, 09:09:56 am
Thanks guys.....this is just what I am looking for.  In my own mind, I am trying to conceive just what is too much to try and work with?
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: gstoneberg on October 20, 2012, 09:19:42 am
That second bow was 7 heatings if I recall correctly.  I like straightening a crooked stave.  It's probably the favorite part of bow building for me.

George
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: stringstretcher on October 20, 2012, 09:23:51 am
That's another part of the answer I was looking for George.  How many times can you heat the same stave to bend/straighten it without damaging the wood?
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: blackhawk on October 20, 2012, 10:24:46 am
id say 95% of the staves i correct are corrected,shaped,and tempered all in one session. it should only take once in most circumstances(and yes even with nasty staves) to make all the corrections and shaping. a form,some shims,and a heat gun will work wonders(especially with osage). personally i dont like the thought or idea of having to heat up a stave too many times,especially in the same areas that were already heated previously. thats just my two cents and opinion
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: stringstretcher on October 20, 2012, 10:30:54 am
Thanks Blackhawk.  I am sure some one will post up one of those, this will never make a bow stave that they have gotten straight through heat.  I know there are some out there.  So post up some of those hard to get out kinks and bends.
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: blackhawk on October 20, 2012, 11:16:21 am
heres one i did last year

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,28657.0.html
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: blackhawk on October 20, 2012, 11:52:09 am
heres one i did a few days ago....it was so dogglegged at a knotty snakey hole that i didnt dare try to take it all out,so the top limb is straight and the bottom limb has a couple inches of reflex,and ill tiller it as is. i dont like trying to correct to much at "character" spots like that snakey knotty hole.

heres the before side view   8)


(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/2012-10-15_19-42-18_608.jpg)


and here it is after



(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/100_0447.jpg)




and heres the front profile and why and where it was doglegged at that snakey knotty hole  ;)




(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/100_0448.jpg)
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: osage outlaw on October 20, 2012, 12:09:53 pm


(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/SDC14481.jpg)

(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/SDC14483.jpg)

(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/SDC14486.jpg)
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: stringstretcher on October 20, 2012, 03:18:51 pm
Some great stuff every one.  Keep them coming.
Title: Re: Heat treating and bending wood?
Post by: gstoneberg on October 20, 2012, 03:34:02 pm
That's another part of the answer I was looking for George.  How many times can you heat the same stave to bend/straighten it without damaging the wood?

It really isn't a good idea to heat an area multiple times.  I blew up a yew bow where I had to do a sideways bend and didn't allow for enough spring back so I ended up heating it 3 times.  The 7 heatings on that osage bow represent 7 spots that needed correction, including one in the handle to make the tips align.  I could build a caul and make it easier, but where would the fun be in that?

George