1st stave bow - Hackberry

[Parnell]

I had the opportunity to go visit Mullet this past weekend.  What a great experience for me.  It was my first chance to see another persons work and I had this project with me so he really gave me some great pointers.  Boy, did I need them.  He helped me to thin the tips of the bow - they were entirely too thick.  He also showed me how to heat in reflex just as I would floor tillering.  Up until now, I've always clamped the bow and tried to put in reflex while it was static.  His method was much better.  I said, "I'm over thinking this stuff" and "I've been afraid of the wood".  To see him working the wood was an epiphany.  I managed to put in another half inch of reflex tonight and it is holding at 3".  Eddie also showed me just how much I should be toasting the wood.  I haven't been giving it near enough.  The bows back needed spot sanding on nicks from de-barking the stave, which I did, no more nicks, and my limb edges were too sharp.  Those have been smoothed.  He also hooked me up with some buffalo horn, so I'll be putting on the overlays with that and thinning the tips out.  Then on to shaping the handle.  I'm giving it til tomorrow evening then I'll give the belly a proper toasting and I'll let it set again overnight before I brace the bow again.

Hey Eddie, thanks again!  I learned more in a couple hours with you than months on my own!  There are some things you just can't learn from reading, I guess.

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[DanaM]

Dang that bow has a nice profile Ya eddie is one of the good guys once ya get beyond being intimated by his totally ripped 6'2" frame and jet black hair

[mullet]

 Stephen, You are more than welcome. I had a great time, as I did the day before meeting Bjorn (swampbow). You have that bow bending nice, now. I think between that and toasting the belly you will stay in your weight range if you go sloooow on your final tillering. Just like knapping and pretty much anything else, It is easier when you can get hands on help.

 Let's see some more pictures.

[mullet]

  Thanks, Dana, I try not to be too, intimidating 

[Parnell]

More pictures will be on the way, no worries!

[barebo]

You mentioned always trying to put in reflex when static. Is there a chance that you can share the method Mullet showed you to get that killer profile??? I'm working an Ash stave now, and would sure like to induce some reflex rather than go with the stave as is.
That bow is gonna be Sweet !!!

[Parnell]

Barebo - grease the limbs, I'm using crisco, apply heat to the limbs moving the gun around consistently, without stopping on any one spot too much.  Heat the belly mostly, but also hit the sides and even back but I'm figurin you don't want to heat the back very much, just to bring it up to temperature, when the wood is warmed up flex the limb on the ground and use your leg  to stabilize, keep heating the limb all around while bending it like a reverse floor tiller then keep the limb flexed while letting it cool.  I guess you can either hold it steady for a minute or two or hit it with a cool wet rag to drop the temp. quicker.
I was also told to do this gradually.  It shouldn't be done all at once.  Do it in stages and let the bow settle for a day or so before bracing again and bending.

Anyone else that wants to add to this bit - I won't take offense to some hijacking.

Hope this helps!

[medicinewheel]

Looks like it's gonna be a nice one!

[barebo]

Parnell - thanks!! I'm surprised that even after having it drawn pretty good, as in the early pics, that you can still induce reflex.
I always thought that once you've braced and drawn a bow, the back had been stretched to it's elastic limit, and the belly compressed, and that was that......?? Basically then, this method would work to flip the tips a bit ?? I've got some hard Maple that's gonna get this treatment. I put overlays on the Ash tips last night, and am wary of heat  - maybe just at the fades some??
How do you get the finish to bond after coating with Crisco?? As you heat, seems like it would draw it into the wood. I made a Hackberry bow 2 yrs ago, and it was light in the hand and Quick !! Great wood. Thanks again for the method tips - Good Luck - can't wait to see the finished bow!!

[Parnell]

Barebo,

I had figured the same on the reflex induction.  I'm speculating that it won't hold as well as it would have if I had started the stave with that at say ground tiller, but better to learn now than never.  I'm hoping that toasting the belly well will help to retain the reflex.  I'm wondering if different woods respond better than others when it comes to reflexing at this late in the game.  Dunno.  I wonder if you put some tin-foil over the overlays if it would divert the heat enough to allow you to give it some work? 

I do some lite sanding after the crisco and have never had a problem with applying finishes.  I haven't used tru oil, but have used others such as tung and poly.  I'm kinda liking wax these days, though.    Hope this helps.

[George Tsoukalas]

That is just fantastic. It's so nice seeing this teaching and learning. Makes me feel good. Eddie, sure does know his stuff. Now, go teach what Eddie taught you, Parnell. So nice to see. Jawge

[JW_Halverson]

Pappy says to go slow with Hackberry as it loses weight fast.  I haven't found a wood that DOESN'T lose weight fast! Call me King of the 40 Pounders!

That is a great looking bow, man.  And I agree with you when you say it works easily, I love the way a good sharp spokeshave bites in and shears off those long sweet curls.  To me it smells like popcorn when it's getting heated. 

Tonite I am going to the Black Hills Sportsman's Banquet where I an donating a hackberry bow for the silent auction, hope they get a good price for it!

[barebo]

George - I couldn't agree more !!! The time that I've spent here has been very rewarding, and the different perspectives keep it cooking. When the advice is given freely, everyone benefits. It makes for a better bow building fraternity all around!!
Parnell, what got me interested is that this Ash stave has one limb - upper - with almost an inch of natural reflex. the bottom limb is going the opposite way - about an inch in Deflex !! I'd like the bottom limb stronger of course, as it's working length is shorter, and it seems that the bottom wants to bend more on all of my bows?? Maybe when I get the long string on , I'll put some pics up.

[Parnell]

I toasted the limbs this evening.  Just thought I'd show how much.  Lightly sanded it off, but not too much.  I can already tell that it stiffened up quite a bit.  I think it even pulled out some of the reflex I put in by about .5".  I kinda like the way it looks.  Wish I could do the same with the back to camouflage it!

I'll brace it agaiin tomorrow evening.

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[Jude]

That's coming along really nice.