Stave for Christmas Exchange

[Pat B]

Dang you Keenan. You have got me on a whole new train of thought.    I'm gonna tweek the other limb just a little bit and start tillering. See if I can't tiller that bugger into submission. 
  TJ, all I need is time...but it is at a premium these days...as you very well know!    I was very pleased with the way Bobby and Britny's bows came out and extra pleased they will be loved...and used! 
  JW, the handle has a slight crescent shape to it now. I'm hoping to work that into the bow somehow. I'll just have to take baby steps and see where they take me. I've got til Christmas! 

[Pat B]

Here is where I am today. Clamped the stave tp the form and began heating to remove the deflex. I also took out the hump(from back to belly) where the kink is. It is now just a dog leg.  From here on out I will tiller the bow with maybe a bit of heat tweeking later on. We'll just havr to see.
  I didn't get a before pic before clamping but scroll back to see what it looked like before.   Here she is clamped to the form...

[Pat B]

...and after the clamps came off. The wood wedge is where the hump was., pic from both sides.

[nugget]

Lookin good PAt

[gstoneberg]

I'm very impressed.  Not only did you take out the kink but nary a scorch.  Makes me think I've burned some pretty good bow wood in the fireplace I thought was too crooked.  That's looking very good.

George

[Keenan]

Dang you Keenan. You have got me on a whole new train of thought.    I'm gonna tweek the other limb just a little bit and start tillering. See if I can't tiller that bugger into submission. 
  TJ, all I need is time...but it is at a premium these days...as you very well know!    I was very pleased with the way Bobby and Britny's bows came out and extra pleased they will be loved...and used! 
  JW, the handle has a slight crescent shape to it now. I'm hoping to work that into the bow somehow. I'll just have to take baby steps and see where they take me. I've got til Christmas! 

    Glad to help Pat.   That is looking very nice. Can't wait to see how she turns out. Going to be a nice character bow!

[Jesse]

looks tricky Pat. Im sure you can pull it off though.     Your shop looks like mine--------Im building a new one now----------I think it will be faster than cleaning the old one

[Pat B]

Watch out Jesse. Before you know it the new shop well look like the old...just bigger!     I could probably throw away 90% of what's in my basement and never miss it but what fun is that. 
  Me too Keenan. I'm looking forward to that first shot. That tells all!
  I did a trade bow on TradGang last winter and had to manipulate the heck out of it with dry heat(and oil). It is thin ringed osage with knots so I backed it with rawhide just cause...   It turned out real nice. I think all the heating(and maybe the manipulating) actually strengthens the bow and gave it a lot more zip than I expected. It may end up being one of those surprise... ...bows we have all learned to fear. 
  Now that both limbs have almost equal reflex with even curvature it will be easier to see tiller but she will still have plenty of character. I will try to get a bunch of reduction and tillering done this weekend. Looks like foul weather so should be plenty of basement time after the honey-do Christmas clean up is done!  ...well maybe.   

[osage outlaw]

You gotta love a workshop covered in yellow!  Looking good Pat.

[Pappy]

Looking good Pat, I have worked some like that and had to tweak the a dozen time before it was all said and done,lot of trouble ,but what fun would it be to work on a clean straight piece of wood.
   Pappy

[gstoneberg]

You gotta love a workshop covered in yellow!  Looking good Pat.

Sure agree there.  Anybody else have work clothes that have taken on a distinctive yellow hue???

Isn't clean&straight and osage an oxymoron???

George

[Little John]

Wow Pat, that stave is really looking a lot better I can see a bow in there now. You must be very patient with the heat gun, mine always get darkwell before I get them real hot thru and thru. Maybe I need to rig up something to hold the heat gun further away and go off and drink coffee or read P.A. threads for about an hour. Good luck.         Kenneth

[Pat B]

Kenneth, that why I use oil for these early heatings. Not only does it help prevent scorching but I think it helps to hold more heat in the wood and helps it spread the heat more evenly. From beginning to end each limb probably only takes 1/2hour to 45 minutes. It helps to have your clamps and pads ready when that area is heated. After I have worked out the limb and have it clamped I go back over the entire limb and reheat it before I let it cool over night.

[Little John]

Yep I use the oiul also but must get a bit impatient and get the heat gun too close.     Kenneth

[Pat B]

I keep my gun close(1" or less sometimes) but keep it moving constanly over a 6" area or so. I also feel the wood with my thumb(an old outboard mechanic's trick) and when it is too hot to keep my thumb on I know it's about ready(when an outboard got over 168 deg it was overheating). As I move to the next area I overlap the heat with the last area so the heat travels consistantly through the wood.