Author Topic: When is it too late to heat treat?  (Read 1426 times)

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Offline wizardgoat

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When is it too late to heat treat?
« on: May 07, 2014, 03:29:04 pm »
If a bow has taken some set after about 50 arrows, is it too late to try to heat in reflex.
Or will it spring right back?
It's a pacific dogwood 51" slight bendy handle. First time with the wood, and maybe asking
too much out of it, 50#@23,
Cheers

Offline Pat B

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Re: When is it too late to heat treat?
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2014, 04:01:20 pm »
Ideally you want to temper before set has set in but it may still help some.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Jim Davis

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Re: When is it too late to heat treat?
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2014, 05:01:50 pm »
It's too late to heat treat after the bow has broken.  ;)
Jim Davis

Kentucky--formerly Maine

Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: When is it too late to heat treat?
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2014, 05:58:02 pm »
Respectfully, I cant entirely agree with that.  I certainly think it's much better to heat treat before the bow has taken too much set, but I do think there is a benefit to heat bending the set out and tempering in the new profile.  I say this out of having done so on numerous bows with positive results.  Some better than others, but a potential worth considering.

Ahh, just reread that and it looks as though we don't disagree after all.  :)
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Offline wizardgoat

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Re: When is it too late to heat treat?
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2014, 10:29:27 pm »
I just steamed in some reflex in the handle, and it took it pretty good. Ill brace it up in a few days, thanks guys

Offline Arrowind

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Re: When is it too late to heat treat?
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2014, 11:22:50 pm »
Too late to heat treat?  I'd say around 10:30pm.    I'm not much of a night owl I usually prefer to work on bows in the mornings.  but that's just me.  :P 


Sorry.  I couldn't help it.

Wish i could actually help. 
Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm... except the consistency of squirrel droppings?

Offline wizardgoat

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Re: When is it too late to heat treat?
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2014, 06:17:12 pm »
In case anyone was wondering, after 50 arrows and 2.5" of string  follow, I steamed the handle for an hour and clamped it down in a reflex. Let it chill for a couple days and braced it up. Started working it on the tiller, and it gained 10 lbs. just a few scrapes and it looked good again.  Shot 100 arrows out yesterday and is now showing 1 1/4" string follow.
Pacific dogwood is a treat to work, I'm thinking I should go cut some while its in full bloom around here!

Offline mullet

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Re: When is it too late to heat treat?
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2014, 08:25:05 pm »
I've rebent a lot of the old Lemonwood and hickory bows back to new and the majority of them took little set.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline lukelawrence171

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Re: When is it too late to heat treat?
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2014, 10:13:38 pm »
If you look on my last post I heat treated an osage bow after it was done and tillered and it just got rid of all of the set and dissent change anything else I would try it whenever but it's best to do it a few times throughout the tillering process   :D