Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DavidV on December 22, 2012, 09:03:40 pm
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I'm working on a hackberry sapling right now and I'm wondering if I'm wasting my time. The stave itself is 61" and it is 1.5" wide in the middle, tapering to 1/2" tips. A little short and not much width to compensate. I think I'm going to go with a simple D-style bow with a bendy handle but I may flip the tips if there would be any benefit.
Also, could someone explain heat treating without a heat gun. And at what point is heat treating done? When it is completely tillered?
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I heat treat my bows when I have them tillered out to 20" or so. I have also done it when the bow was completely tillered. Hackberry needs to be heat treated or it will take some set. Ive only done it once without a heat gun, I reverse braced it and heated it over hot coals from a campfire. I like using a heat gun better, i feel like I have better control. That hackberry sapling should make a fine bow, be sure to post some pics. I love hackberry
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I dont see why you would not be able to make a bow from that. I wrote up a little post on heat treating over coals, that you can read on my blog http://echoarchery.blogspot.com/ I heat-treated after getting about 18" draw, then tillered it to near full draw and did a second heat treating. Then some minor tiller touch up and it is shooting.
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you can heat treat with your kitchen stove, Bub
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Pretty much all my bows have been from pieces like what you're talking about. It's totally doable. I heat treat my bows in front of my wood stove, over hot embers or coals. Usually after a heat-treatment you'll have to adjust the tiller.