steaming knots

[radius]

Hi guys,

I'm working hard on a very knotty stave.  Over the course of the last week i've drawknifed it down from a half log to something about twice as thick as the final bow will be.   A couple of the knots have cracked.  I'm not too worried about it overall, having seen what yew can do...but i plan to steam this thing to get the deflex out, and i don't wanna wreck it by introducing moisture where it's going to be a problem.  Should i get some CA in there before steaming it?  Or don't worry about it, and CA it afterwards?

thanks

radius

[Michael C.]

You have to spank Knotty staves into shape. Seriously though I would take a piece of scrapwood with a knot and test it out. I have heard that one piece of wood might not do the same thing that another piece might do even if they are the same type of wood, so if you use the same tree for you test it might be safer. I wouldn't think putting CA in first would hurt it though, it may not hold but I would think it would hurt it.

[Pappy]

You are really not adding moisture when you steam,it help drive out moisture,and helps in seasoning the wood. Also I like to have a stave at least floor tillered before trying to bend,it will work a lot easier and hold what you do much better.
   Pappy

[radius]

thanks Pap,

the stave is about floor tillered...will be even closer before i set it in the steampipe.  Thanks.  I don't really get how it helps dry out the wood, though...

[Pappy]

It is using the heat from the steam,not really the steam. I usually steam for an hour or Hour and a half.  :)With Osage If it is less than a couple of years old I always steam first,then dry heat to tweak it.If it is over 2 or 3 years old I dry heat only.Not sure on Yew.But if you steam older wood it will tend to check also if you dry heat first fresher wood it will also tend to check.  Strange but true.
I also always seal the wood with Polly or something like that before I steam,there again not sure on Yew.Maybe some yew experts will chime in on that.
   Pappy