Made it past a critical stage tonight, so thought it was safe enough to share.
I started with a 1 x 2.5 x 8' board. It has nice quartersawn grain, but the wood itself isn't that pretty. That's OK, because I like to paint my bows, and already know what she's going to look like when all is done. I used a hand plane to get her roughed out, and then a file to round of the edges.
![](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-L5PphC-p53I/URBonSP5A5I/AAAAAAAABOs/pGNHDApW7w0/s721/F7CFB14F-0F0F-4C49-BC7E-F10509317E10.JPG)
I've done a recurve with glued on siyahs, but I've never bent wood. Well, this seemed like a great time to try something new. I built this ugly little bending frame...
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5DtjQ_oDNqI/URBonfMlZxI/AAAAAAAABOs/8xLolTsDcSU/s961/3510E2CF-6292-4E70-B7E7-B92278A43C95.JPG)
And started boiling my roughed-out bow. My wife thought the whole operation was nuts.
![](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Cg6QKVeBDEw/URBonZ6Z6PI/AAAAAAAABOs/ONWVkYcS63g/s721/E2E21F17-E00C-40A6-9C5F-75EA13649F4A.JPG)
The plan was to boil two 3/8 hickory slats that I would put on either side of the bow... one to keep belly splinters from rising, the other to help form a smooth arc.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4-A2Ajql_wM/URBonWXpxpI/AAAAAAAABOs/yJZFSA9dDqw/s961/494DB2B0-E0C7-4CC3-A23B-016DED0A3A01.JPG)
And I started bending...
![](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Vq1bxAavhGk/URBonUSkvMI/AAAAAAAABOs/sl9a1tod1wA/s721/D9DFF17D-5D19-4710-8844-B7414D895E93.JPG)
And she didn't break! A small splinter came up on one limb, but it will easily sand out. I was surprised at how easily the wood bent.
![](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-10nLGVYbJbU/URBona_EUcI/AAAAAAAABOs/lT9_go2K3ok/s721/9E413C74-0521-4366-AEB6-9C976C19F210.JPG)
Now to get a low brace. I'll post more as I make progress. I'm not going to give out details quite yet. A least a few bow-trade secrets will make it more fun.