Best way to bend/straighten HHB

[osage outlaw]

I need to straighten a HHB stave and didn't know if steam or dry heat would be better.  I am thinking about recurving the tips just a little as well.  This stave is around 8-9 years old.

[sailordad]

hhb takes to dry heat like a monkey to a banana tree
if you can work it closer to bow demensions first it makes it easier to heat too 

[osage outlaw]

I have it almost to floor tiller stage, so that's good.  Will dry heat work on the tips as well?

I am really liking this HHB.  It is my first non osage bow.  I have two bows in progress out of it.  One of them I didn't even have to straighten.  I have it tillered out.  Now I just need to smooth the edges on it.  I am giving it to an old boss of mine.  He gave me the HHB log that I am using.

[straightarrow]

I love the stuff.....I rough it out when its green and clamp it to 2X4....You literally can rough one out in less then a hour.
I have recently heated in R/D with dry heat and it bent with ease!!! I am curious to see how the R/D holds...I hear it does??

Jon

[sailordad]

although ive never done recurves in hhb,dry heat should work just fine
ive never had a problem roughing out a hhb stave when dry,all my wood no matter where i get it sits for atleast a year before i work it

it realy is a sweet white wood to work with
it makes for a realy light in the hand bow
and you need very little wood to achieve hunting weight bows

[straightarrow]

I have done it both ways dry and green. Its just so much easier when its green....almost effortless with a draw knife.  I keep it clamped for a couple months and its ready to tiller. Cuts the drying time way down. I cut some in June and the bark just fell off. I roughed two out and left the rest to season.  Like i said I love the stuff....

Jon

[osage outlaw]

This wood had the bark still on it.  I carefully scraped it off.  There is still some darker speckles and streaks in it, so it isn't plain white.  It looks neat that way.  I am going to try something different with the finish.  Thanks for the advice.

[ricktrojanowski]

I've only made one HHB bow and used dry heat to straighten it up a bit.  It worked real easy.

[denny]

You fellows aren't talking about hop horn beam are you ? Not to get arguementive, but it isn't white, it would be a golden hue color and is very hard. The saw and wedges spark as you cut or split it. It does have a thin light bark though. And has a habit of twisting. So working with it early I agree with . And it does except heat as osage does. I like it because of its color and stability and great cast. Denny

[sailordad]

You fellows aren't talking about hop horn beam are you ? Not to get arguementive, but it isn't white, it would be a golden hue color and is very hard. The saw and wedges spark as you cut or split it. It does have a thin light bark though. And has a habit of twisting. So working with it early I agree with . And it does except heat as osage does. I like it because of its color and stability and great cast. Denny

its still a white wood
ive split my share of hop horn beam a.k.a. iron wood
and yes it is tuogh to split and cut but have never actually seen sparks fly
ive found if you leave the log whole for a year then split it doesnt twist much if any
when its gren and you split it it will twist like a pretzel while it dries if it isnt clamped down

[osage outlaw]

This log was 8 or 9 years old when I got it.  It split like a dream, right down the middle with no twist.  I am about done with the first bow out of it.  I just need to sand it and put a finish on it.  This stuff is hard.  The tools that I use to scrape osage with didn't work very well on it.  I have used files more on this bow than any other that I have built. 

[sailordad]

This log was 8 or 9 years old when I got it.  It split like a dream, right down the middle with no twist.  I am about done with the first bow out of it.  I just need to sand it and put a finish on it.  This stuff is hard.  The tools that I use to scrape osage with didn't work very well on it.  I have used files more on this bow than any other that I have built. 

i find with woods such asa elm,hhm,hickory if you can leave them in log form untill dry
the ysplit straighter and easier too

[osage outlaw]

Well, I tried to use dry heat to flip the tips a little on the HHB and it cracked.  I was using plenty of heat and making the bend gradually when I heard some cracking.  Right in the middle of the bend, I saw the grain starting to separate on the belly.  I guess this bow will end up being a kids bow now.  Should I have used steam?

[sailordad]

was the are you were bending down to one ring on the belly before you started bending it?
did you rub in grease/lard to the area being heated?
were you using a protective strip on the belly area being bent?
if its heated to the point that its ready to bend it should bend under its own weight.
i say no on the steam,dry heat for dry wood,moist heat for moist wood

[rps3]

I just finished my 4th hhb bow and have not had much luck in the dry heat bending. Nothing like osage for me.  The wood seems to want to go back to its original shape too easy, so I spent more time over 1 area with the heat gun and was rewarded with cracks running through the  middle of the limb while looking at the side similar to a glue line on a lamb bow. Used plenty of grease. Took steam very well. So far I like the cast of hhb, but I am still trying to get the feel for this wood. Let us know how it works out for you. Bob