Author Topic: bending boards?  (Read 3627 times)

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Offline dwardo

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Re: bending boards?
« Reply #15 on: October 02, 2013, 01:22:24 pm »
Once its back to ambient temps I remove it. More often than not I just leave it overnight for convenience sake.
Looks pretty thick that you did well not to pop a splinter, i usually do on thinner stuff than that,

Offline BowSlayer

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Re: bending boards?
« Reply #16 on: October 02, 2013, 07:00:30 pm »
i went ahead and removed it after 3 hours and one the next one. they both have 2" of reflexed tips and the second one did pop up a small splinter on the belly but that will most likely come out with a rasp. it looks like it's going to be a nice bow.
London, England.

45#@28"

Offline bushboy

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Re: bending boards?
« Reply #17 on: October 02, 2013, 07:55:27 pm »
Recurves are not hard to bend in,but getting the straight and lined up can be more of a challenge!
Some like motorboats,I like kayaks,some like guns,I like bows,but not the wheelie type.

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: bending boards?
« Reply #18 on: October 02, 2013, 08:02:21 pm »
Recurves are not hard to bend in,but getting the straight and lined up can be more of a challenge!

Yup. I do mine real wide initially just because of this. The base of my recurves are still pretty wide in the end, depending on the density of bow wood. I use steam for everything, but it is true you need to bend it instantly after your remove it from the steam. The forms I made have a slot in it I shove the end of the tip and just bend, so I don't have to clamp anything down first, which makes working quickly possible. Whatever you do, don't force the bend, it will lift splinters that way. Wait until the wood is pliable. Nice job, hopefully it will turn out a great bow!
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline BowSlayer

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Re: bending boards?
« Reply #19 on: October 02, 2013, 09:19:32 pm »
I was actually quite surprised that they lined up first time.  And that they had the same amount of recurve. I say this because on the second one it looked like it was bending more but after removing it and measuring it is the same. If this bow works I might make another.
London, England.

45#@28"

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: bending boards?
« Reply #20 on: October 02, 2013, 09:24:09 pm »
I was actually quite surprised that they lined up first time.  And that they had the same amount of recurve. I say this because on the second one it looked like it was bending more but after removing it and measuring it is the same. If this bow works I might make another.

You never know for sure until it is at full brace, and you can draw it/shoot it. It is best to wait till then to reduce the width, IMO.
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline BowSlayer

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Re: bending boards?
« Reply #21 on: October 02, 2013, 09:26:49 pm »
I haven't left the tip that wide its only 3/4" wide. And 10mm thick. 
London, England.

45#@28"