heat treating red oak board (Bow Pics Added)

[Josh]

I am working on a red oak board bow, pretty straight grained down the entire back of the bow, and I was wondering if I can recurve the last 6-8 inches of the tips into like 3-inches of reflex.  Has anyone ever done this with a heat gun before on red oak board?  I only want like 20 or 30 degrees of reflex  not the massive 90 degree recurves you usually see.  Will red oak board take dry heat without splintering?   Any and all help will be appreciated as I don't want to make firewood outta this peice even though I only have about 10 dollars total in the bow so far.  Thanks!

[El Destructo]

I have never attempted Dry Heat on a Kiln Dried Board before...I have always left extra thickness on the Tips....and boiled them for 30-45 minutes...then quickly clamp them in Your Jig...using a thin strip of tin or sheet metal as a backing on the Belly side.....and bend them to the desired Radius....the Strip if tin will help to keep from raising a splinter on the Belly Side...which is the Side that will be taking the Stress...hope that this helps....and I am sure you will be getting more advise also.......

[Josh]

thanks El!

[Josh]

Well, I used the heat gun on the red oak to add a slight recurve into the tips and it is working so far.  I haven't done the other limb yet gonna leave it on the form for another hour or so.  I hope I didn't screw up too badly.  Oh well I only have like 4 hours in this bow so far so no big loss right?   

[Canoe]

Howdy Mr. Deftones,

OK...  Similar questions I just asked El Desructo, minutes ago, on another post... what is the radius on that form? 
I really like the way that looks - those gradual curves.  But, I am wondering how difficult it is to reproduce the same curve on the other limb?  Using heat, I'm thinking you would have to apply the same amount of heat in the same places on both limbs to get similar curves. (?)  I mean, if you apply more heat to one limb than the other, wouldn't the curve hold a little more in one limb?  And so, is there some way to go back and make adjustments in the curves after the bow comes out of the form?

Am I over thinking this process?  Should I just not worry about it so much and go ahead and try it?

And really... 
I know that I haven't posted any bows for you all to see.  But honestly, there is a small pile of nearly completed bows (Red Oak board bows and Ash staves) standing in the corner of my basement.  (And lately, I've been collecting materials for arrow building as well.)

Thanks for your help,
Canoe

[Josh]

I dont know the exact demensions of my form I just took a 2x6 and a carpenter's pencil and free handed it. (If you look closely you can see my stray marks)    then cut it out with a jig saw.  I then did one limb at a time, heating them with my heat gun and letting the limb slowly fall into place onto the form as it heated up.  From the tips out as soon as it was close enough to the form I put a C-clamp in place to hold it down.  I then left it in place for an hour.  Then I repeated the process on the other limb.  They both came out pretty even, just use the same form for both limbs and you should be ok.

[Hillbilly]

Using heat, I'm thinking you would have to apply the same amount of heat in the same places on both limbs to get similar curves. (?)  I mean, if you apply more heat to one limb than the other, wouldn't the curve hold a little more in one limb?  And so, is there some way to go back and make adjustments in the curves after the bow comes out of the form?

Am I over thinking this process?  Should I just not worry about it so much and go ahead and try it?

Yep. You're making it more complicated than it is.

[Aosda]

I have a Red Oak ruffed out that I was wanting to do the same thing to.  I'll have to scrouge through my wood stock to find a suitable board for the form.  Did you weight the other end as you heated, or just let it fall by itself?

[Josh]

I kinda pulled down a little, but I mainly let the weight of the bow do the bending.  You can definately tell when it is hot enough to bend.   I left it clamped for an hour and when I took it off the form some of the reflex relaxed out of the limb but I think that is normal.  So just make sure you compensate for that.  Mine worked great it retained all of the curve I wanted in the limbs (which was just a little bit)  even after full brace and full draw and shooting it in.     I will post pictures after I sand, stain and decorate it. 

[nickf]

that's a real nice form. Nick

[Josh]

thanks nick, took like 20 seconds to make.   

[Aosda]

20 seconds .  That's gonna take me more than half an hour.  I don't have any of the nice power toys, just a circular saw.  So it's all hand cutting for me.

[sailordad]

WOW only 4 hours into the bow

takes me more than that just to lay out a profile that i like

[Canoe]

Howdy Group,

So... I've drawn out and am ready to cut out a form.  With this form, I think I'll get (aprox.) the outer 7-1/2" reflexed - very similar to Deftones' form in the photo above (that I tried to copy).  But, on my form, I also put a little, gradual deflex in it.   I hope that's not going to be a problem?  I haven't tried it yet.  So, if you think I'm heading in the wrong direction with this, please let me know. 

And, I'm told that curved /D) limbs can be a real challenge to tiller.  So, I may have to actually post, the always-popular photo - for guidance.
(If or When I do get to that point, I'll start a new thread instead of budding in or crashing into other people's threads - sorry Deftone.)

One more question...  I will probably have to order my bow strings on line, since my local archery shop deals primarily with those things with wheels on 'em. 
(Yes, I used 'em for years but, I've seen the light - I've recovered, repented, and I'm all better now.)
Anyway, with all these curves in the limbs, how do I measure or figure out the bow string length?  I'm thinking the string length changes somewhat after R/D's are put in? 
(This maybe a pretty basic question but, right now, it seems like a good question.)

Thanks for your help,
Canoe

[George Tsoukalas]

deftones, pretty nice work there. Nice bend on that stave and with a heat gun too. Jawge