Author Topic: Best time to steam recurved tips? (Read 10226 times)

Dane · « **on:** February 17, 2009, 11:48:20 am »

I've got a recurved hickory bow project I'm reducing the stave on right now. For those recurve masters here, when do you recommend proceeding with the bending process? During floor tillering, after floor tillering, initial tiller tree step, or when it is at low brace?

Thanks in advanced,

Dane

Pat B · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2009, 12:01:42 pm »

Dane, I usually put the curves in at after floor tiller but also after other straightening has been done. You may also have to "adjust" a bit more after first stringing if things don't line up.

Dane · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2009, 12:04:36 pm »

Pat, thanks. That is what was floating in my mind.

Dane

gutpile · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2009, 12:19:18 pm »

I like to bend mine before floor tiller ..but still fairly close to bending...tell ya why...first off I don't steam recurves ..I boil them...second I build only static recurves on self bows..a working recurve will just eventually pull out....so being that, I need a thicker bend to hold my curves..I boil then bend..you only got about 60 seconds to get that sucker bent..and make sure you use a belly backing strip of metal or something to help prevent pulling a splinter...my caul is a 65 degree bend..now that is pretty steep IMO...I boil about 35 minutes for every 1/4 inch...

Pat B · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2009, 02:33:39 pm »

At floor tiller stage my tips can be 5/8"x5/8" mol. That is plenty enough to bend safely and I use dry heat with oil to protect the wood. I clamp the stave in the form and clamp the metal strapping tightly to the stave. Then, with the heat gun, I begin heating, first near the tip then back a bit until the weight of the bow begins pulling the bow down. Then I know it is ready to bend. I slowly bend the tips down, making adjustments as I go and when it is fully bent I clamp it down until tomorrow. I can do all of this before I could get a pot of water to boil.

DanaM · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2009, 02:50:16 pm »

Pat and gutpile I believe you are both refering to bending osage, hickory won't respond like Osage.
Completely different ballgame with hickory or other whitewoods.

Dane · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2009, 03:02:58 pm »

Ah, Osage. None of that in Yooperland or in New England, alas.

How about it, Dana? At floor tiller stage? I'll be using a wooden form and clamps, or maybe rope, and steam. My Calphelon will do nicely,

Dane

gutpile · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2009, 03:06:26 pm »

Dana ,Nope I am talking about hickory...I have used dry heat on hickory to take out a twist or induce reflex. or align my tips after recurving but not for a radical bend such as a recurve..I steamed once on hickory ..lifted a splinter...had to glue on some back up to stiffen the tip..the other end I boiled and it worked great no splinter...you are right hickory won't respond like osage with dry heat on a radical bend but it responds even better than osage on tempering and either or does great with the boiling method provided above...ONE THING TO REMEMBER and no offense Pat..not stepping on your toes here ....do not rush any part of bow building.... if it takes a hour to get your tips boiled that is OK...either way I wait, dry heat or boiling you need to wait about a week to let the wood dry some or rehydrate some...before stringing..you can reduce your tips and realign but I wait before I put a string on..gut

Pat B · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2009, 03:09:01 pm »

I was referring to osage.

But over the last few years I've used this method on other woods just not as easily.

DanaM · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2009, 03:11:49 pm »

Thanks for the clarification gut and Pat

Dane I haven't done any radical bends, mostly just add a little reflex and flip the tips a bit for that dry heat works fine on all woods
at least it has for me

Pat B · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2009, 03:54:52 pm »

In TBB II, Paul Comstock has a chapter(6) about bending wood and in chapter 7, Jim Hamm covers recurves. Both have lots of useful info and lots of pics with captions. I refer to it quite often.

Ryano · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2009, 04:27:39 pm »

I have found I can't get the same degree of bend from dry heat as I can with steam or boiling. Dry heat scorches the outer wood before it gets hot enough all the way through to make any kind of sharp bends. This usually results in tearing of the wood fibers across the belly of the bow. I've gone to using steam for all my recurved tips. I ruined to many nice pieces of wood using the dry heat method. Dry heat is great for reflexing or "flipping" tips but I would suggest steam or boiling for a actual recurve.

Dane · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2009, 04:39:56 pm »

The recurves I have in mind are for a replica hickory NA Indian bow, a Mohaw bow to be specific. I'll floor tiller and then go with steam heat, and then make sure the moisture is gone before continuing work. Thanks for all the advice, Ryan, everyone else too.

Dane

Pat B · « **Reply #13 on:** February 17, 2009, 04:43:23 pm »

Dane, if you shellac the area to be steamed you can eliminate most of the moisture that will get into the wood. The heat and moisture shouldn't affect the shellac and you can remove it later with light scraping or sanding or wipe it off with alcohol.

gutpile · « **Reply #14 on:** February 17, 2009, 04:50:34 pm »

Now thats some good advice..got to try that Pat...especially since hickory is such a pain to get dry down south..any thing that helps keep it dry and work with water is a good deal for me...gut

Primitive Archer