Started my trade bow - full draw and shipped

[gstoneberg]

Bevan, that's exactly what I do.  I heat the bow with the belly up (heating only the belly and sides) until I just about can't hold my finger against the back (the side that's down).  Then I put the big wood clamp on and see if it will twist where I want.  If it doesn't, I heat some more.  If it does, I tighten the clamp up and hang the bucket with rocks in it  on the threaded rod furthest out.  By adjusting where it is and how the rocks are hung on it you can make subtle changes in the bend.  I normally do not have any spring back doing it this way so I align the limb exactly as I want it and let it cool with the weight on it.

I've seen PatB bend limbs sideways against a form in his build-along, but so far I haven't had much luck doing that.  It takes a lot of force to bend the wood against the width of the limb.  Maybe I just haven't gotten it hot enough?  Gary came over the other day and heated his handle up and bent his limbs about 3" at each tip.  I was amazed, but it appeared he got his wood really hot from the look of it.  I've only done that successfully on one other bow.  That's a long way to say I'm not sure.

Darcy, if I didn't love the shape of that recurve I would do just that.  Maybe I still should.

George

[Bevan R.]

I know it would be a bugger to tiller, but a recurve limb with a straight/reflex limb would be 'in character'.

Bevan R

[gstoneberg]

I'm done with the heat bending for now.  I actually put a little too much recurve in the reflexed limb.  I think I have everything lined up.  Now I need to rest the bow and let it recover from the heatings.

George

[Bevan R.]

Wow!! You would have a hard time convincing me that was the same piece of wood as what you started with.

Bevan R

[sailordad]

wow thats amazing what youve done with that piece of wood
cant wait to see the end result

[Lee Slikkers]

Humbling work there...

[Timo]

Very nice!A+

[Pat B]

Nice work George. Sometimes you just have to take small steps when working with staves like this one. A little here and a little there.  You've done well on this one. 

[gstoneberg]

Thanks guys, it was sure a fight.  As usual, I learned something new.  It is very tedious to bend the limb sideways and add recurve at the same spot.  One of your forms would have been really helpful about then Pat.  In retrospect, your advice on just doing a bow with reflex would sure have been a lot easier.  I hope it works out, that was a lot of heating.   I may reinforce that recurve area to be on the safe side.

George

[RyanY]

Looks great compared to the start. Can't wait to see it finished.

[osage outlaw]

I don't know, I kind of liked that twisted, bent, messed up looking piece of wood better than that straight, recurved thing you ended up with   Nice work.

[gstoneberg]

I don't know, I kind of liked that twisted, bent, messed up looking piece of wood better than that straight, recurved thing you ended up with   Nice work.

O my, what if the person I drew feels the same way!   I never thought of that??!!  Well, I aint putting bend back in it now. 

George

[Keenan]

Wow, Very impressive work. When I looked at that first pic, I thought what a night mare to straighten. However you have pulled it off very nicely. Great looking bow. Can't wait to see that one bending.

[DEllis]

That's awesome! Doesn't look like the same piece of wood anymore. That heat bent recurve end will probably pull out a bit to match the natural one better when you get it bending anyway.
Very nice work.......can't wait to see more.
Darcy

[gstoneberg]

Finally got back on my trade bow tonight.  Took about half of the bow's limb thickness off, but it's still pretty much a post.  First thing I noticed is some of the sideways bend came out of the tip I recurved as it rehydrated.  Pretty obvious from the end:



It has a couple borer holes in really unfortunate places.  I've got to get a better camera.  I could only get it to focus on one of them.  That's right about where I want to cut a string nock.



I do love the way bows look as they're worked.



Looks like that limb might need a little more heat.  Hope to stay at it a little more consistently now.

George