steaming

[hattoncasey]

I have never steamed a bow before and am wanting to put some relflex in a hickory self bow that I am working on now. My question for anyone who has an answer is one limb has a little twist to it and if I steam the bow and clamp it down to put my reflex in it and then later resteam the bow to take the twist out of it will the wood want to go back to it's original shape when it is steamed again?

[Josh]

short answer: yes.  BUT you can take out the twist AND reflex the limb all in the same session.  If you are just adding a little reflex, I would use dry heat that way I could also heat treat the belly, add reflex, AND remove the twist using clamps and wedges.  I have done it before with dry heat and it worked fine.  Good luck!   

[yazoo]

I agree with josh,, what kind of form do you have?  hickory does not like steam always use dry heat  mike

[ken75]

yaz. , im not an expert by any strech of the imagination but ive had good luck steaming and boiling hickory. i wouldnt rule it out as an option

[half eye]

fella's,
    Sort of have to go with Ken on this one. I have only ever used steam to bend hickory, never had a problem doing so. (jmo) at about 1/2" thick after 30-40 minuets it bent like butter.
Rich

[Pat B]

If your hickory is dry be sure to seal the area to be steamed(or boiled) with shellac or it will check when drying again.

[yazoo]

not saying you cant steam hickory,,,assuming the wood is dry,,we know how hickory likes mosture why take a chance on inducing mosture back in the wood,,even with shellac some mosture is going back in the wood,,  dry wood , dry heat,,,wet wood ,,wet heat,,  mike

[Josh]

yeah, you CAN steam hickory, but if you are just adding a little reflex and removing some twist, why go to all the trouble when you can just use dry heat?  I only use steam/boil if I am going to try something radical like 45* static recurves or something...