Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: John K on November 19, 2008, 04:00:07 pm
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I have a Hickory stave i got from Cracker in a trade that i would like to flip the tips on.
It is floor tillered and i figure now is the time to do it. Just wondering if there any tricks to getting it done right ? What kind of jig does everyone use ? Some pictures of what you use would be great :)
Thanks John
p.s. i do have a heat gun. :D
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Sorry, no fancy tricks here, just use lots of steam. Sometimes the compression side crushes when I bend hickory, though. Maybe I'm not leaving it in the steam long enough?
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John, If you use steam on your dry hickory be sure to seal the area to be steamed with shellac so you don't introduce moisture into the wood. I have used a heat gun with oil but not with very good results.
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i say steam it, i have steamed in full recurves and strung it up and shot it the next day. i dont think the moisture goes in far enough to really hurt, but thats just my experiences. if your just flippin the tips a bit, I dont even worry about a jig just bend it over your knee and work it til you get it where you want it. also if your just flipping the tips you should be ok with just dry heat too. so i change my mind, i'd try dry heat first and then steam if the dry doesnt work out so good- Ryan
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Personally I can't get hickory to bend worth a crap with dry heat. I use steam just seal it real good with grease or shelac. Steam is the only way I can get my bends to stay.
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I'd steam or boil it. I've ruined some hickory bows using a heat gun and Crisco.
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I never bent hickory. But with osage I use dry heat and crisco. The jig I made is 3 pieced of 3/4" funiture birch plywood glued together. I then marked out the shape I wanted with a metal yard stick. Cut it out and made sure the cut was smooth and square. It has a series of holes drilled in it about 2" down from the bend for clamping. I wedge the tip down and heat until it starts to bend on its own. Then apply clamp pressure from the tip towards the mid limb. Get it all clamped up and leave it overnight.
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When I bend hickory tips to recurves or just flippin them a little it only works for me with dry heat - steaming hickory won't hold the recurves they bend negative to the belly side on full draw - even after half a year of drying. With dry heat it's easy to flip the tips and they hold - on evey dry white wood and BL for me. Never get any problem. When not hot enough or too thick the belly side cracks - but that's a personell problem ::)
Greetz
Cord
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I usually use heat with Like Pat mixed results.Most folks I know use steam or boil.One thing I don't flip any of my bows until I at least get them braced and most times out to 12 or 15 inches.This makes it a lot easier to brace the first time.If you do it first it is real easy to miss weight.You will think it is heaver than it is before it breaks over to brace. :) I have found it much easer to do it later and will usually not change the tiller much. :)
Pappy
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the same with me - at about 20" bending I'm flippin the tips...
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Thanks for all the responses everyone. I will wait till i have it tillered out further then use dry heat to flipp the tips.
Thanks John