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Author Topic: Rigid handle R/D Question.  (Read 1788 times)

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Offline IrishJay

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Rigid handle R/D Question.
« on: January 18, 2019, 10:45:38 am »
I'm doing some rough shaping on several staves that I have that are still in the process of drying. I figure that in addition to removing excess material to expedite drying this would be a good time to do any steam/heat straightening/shaping that needs done. Particularly for steam, because the staves still have a ways to go in the drying closet, so if I steam them now any moisture introduced will have plenty of time to work it's way back out.

I want to attempt a rigid handle R/D with a piece of walnut, about 67" ttt, for a 28" draw. To get the deflex I'm planning to cut the deflex curve I want into the belly side of my riser block and steam bend the stave around it, then once the stave dries back out from the steaming; glue and clamp with TBII. Is this the correct way to induce deflex?
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline PatM

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Re: Rigid handle R/D Question.
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2019, 11:58:34 am »
Many are against steaming the deflex but it is a viable option.   Your way of fitting is not ideal however.  The gluing surfaces will get messed up with the process and need  work to get them fitting again.  The stave will spring back too off the riser "form".

 Better to bend the center first,  let it dry and then true up the gluing surface  and  fit a riser piece to that shape.

 Also steaming  forces moisture out, it does not add it.  You will get an easier bend when steaming wood that is still green though.
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Offline Bayou Ben

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Re: Rigid handle R/D Question.
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2019, 12:36:14 pm »
 "Also steaming  forces moisture out, it does not add it.  You will get an easier bend when steaming wood that is still green though" 
 
I was going to mention this too.  The steam will put some moisture on the surface of the wood, but the high heat will evaporate it quickly and force moisture out of the wood.

I haven't had luck steam inducing the deflex I wanted with full thickness pieces in the handful of times I tried it.  Maybe I wasn't using pliable enough wood or maybe I didn't steam them long enough though. 
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Rigid handle R/D Question.
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2019, 12:39:10 pm »
See, this is why I run things by the brain trust first. I didnt give any thought to the "spring back." So I'll make a form out of a scrap 2x4, bend the stave, then shape the riser to fit the bend of the stave.
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline DC

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Re: Rigid handle R/D Question.
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2019, 12:48:24 pm »
How thick is the handle area? You will have better luck bending it if it's 3/4"-1".
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Rigid handle R/D Question.
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2019, 01:10:50 pm »
It's just over 1" right now, but I plan on reducing it a bit before bending, in the process I'm going to make sure it is a nice flat surface so it will lay properly on the jig.
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline PatM

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Re: Rigid handle R/D Question.
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2019, 03:01:12 pm »
I believe Walnut is a good bending wood.  You may want to bend a short piece and see how thick you can get away with.  I like to  "scoop" out a regular shaped handle in Elm and bend that with about an inch of thickness in the center and then add the matched piece.
 
 I'll see if I can get a  pic of a current couple I have at this stage.
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Rigid handle R/D Question.
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2019, 03:12:52 pm »
Thanks Pat, all input is greatly appreciated. I did try a test bend on a skinny scrap "stave" that resulted from a runaway split on the same walnut log this good stave came from. It seemed to respond well to the steam, but it was only about 5/8" x 1"
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline IrishJay

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Re: Rigid handle R/D Question.
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2019, 08:55:21 pm »
I got the stave down to 3/4" today and steam bent it over a 5° back-angled jig. The steam made it pliable enough to bend but it still took some muscle. I had to have my wife place the clamps while I bent the stave over the jig. It held a little more than half of the bend after being removed from the jig. I need to move the tips back a bit further to end up with the tip to handle alignment I want once I put it on the reflexing jig, so I recut the deflexing jig to a 10° back angle and we're going to try again tomorrow.

As a nice added bonus, the steaming made the cambium layer that I left on to protect to back lift, so it's going to be a lot easier to remove later. Also it stained the wood under the cambium a nice golden brown.

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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline DC

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Re: Rigid handle R/D Question.
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2019, 10:08:07 pm »
The steam loosens the bark but if you don't take it off quickly it glues itself right back down. That's been my experience.
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