BENDING OSAGE FOR RECURVES.

[Prarie Bowyer]

So I'm going to try and take my bow building to the next level.  I have enough osage now that I'll never have to work in woods that don't bend well (IPE).  So... no more kerf cuts for recurves.  . . . I think.

Anyway, i have questions before I begin this endeavor.

What is best for Osage.  wet or dry heat?  steam or Heat gun.  If using the heat gun does the application of oil for heat dispersal affect the ability to glue up a backing.  Or will good scrub take it off enough to glue on siner, raw hide or bamboo?

My imediate project is to splice in some recurves syha style.  Will quarter sawn wood work or should it be flat sawn? 

Also I see in some sources that wrapping the back with something is a good  idea while making the bend to prevent fibers lifting.  I've seen thin sheet metal and heavy leather used.  any thoughts on this?

If metal is best does anyone have some extrawide band straping scraps I could get?

[Pat B]

I can give my opinion if you are using tree staves but not board staves.
 Osage manipulates well with dry heat if the bend isn't too drastic. I use oil when bending wood but not for tempering. If I'm bending for a sinew or rawhide backed bow I use oil but before adding the sinew I scrub the back with Dawn dish soap then rinse with boiling water. This has worked well for me, better than any other method I've tried.
 If the osage is green, steam works best and actually help with the drying process.

[Badger]

Same with Pat, I use steam with unseasoned osage. Dry osage mostly dry heat, on occassion I get a piece that doesn't want to bend and then I swithch to steam. Hot detergent water is a good prepper to remove oil.

[bubby]

For statics I steam/boil and I don't usually back it up with a strip, though I do occasionally

[Joec123able]

In my opinion steam works better on ALL woods and works on seasoned and unseasoned Osage very well better then dry heat

[Badger]

  Joe, I agree with you. Dry heat is often more convenient for more gentle curves but steam is by far more reliable on full recurves.

[Joec123able]

  Joe, I agree with you. Dry heat is often more convenient for more gentle curves but steam is by far more reliable on full recurves.

Yes agreed

[Prarie Bowyer]

Ok.  What about this idea.

wrapping the wood in a wet rag and putting it inside a pipe that is connected to my heat gun for x amount of time? 

or should I be looking into walpaper steamers?

Also what about backing the bend with rawhide?  I was considering using metal but that would lead to buying way more than I need and or tools that I don't have to cut it.

[bubby]

I just use a hot plate in a Ford hubcap for the water boil it that way, you can use a thin piece of wood put it in the water and steam it and back it with that

[blackhawk]

Google is your friend!!!!

[dwardo]

Wait till the missus is out and use the biggest pan she has, rest the bow across the top of the pan and cover with tin-foil. Steam for half hour to be sure then no longer than a minute into the jog and bent.
Then remove all evidence of your wrong doing before the wife gets home. Timing is the key, leave it too long and the missus might catch you, never good. 

[Prarie Bowyer]

logistical problem.  Just assume buy a wallpaper steamer and re rig it to spew into a tube.  more efficient also I think.

[Prarie Bowyer]

I did an experiment with quarter sawn maple last night using the heat gun. 

IT WORKED WONDERFULLY!  looks like past attempts were down to bad wood.  I bent 5/8" rough sanded maple with saw marks around the dia of a 5 gal bucket bottom.  Hardly any scorching. 

Steaming set up may not be necessary!

[TRACY]

Good info already. I do both depending on stave. I built a steam box out of pine that is 76" long and then 6" by 6" to give an inside 4" by 4" by 76" steam area with 2" hole on the bottom middle to fit adjustable duct elbows and cone shaped duct vent that sits flat and tight over a pot on the fish cooker burner. Box sits on saw horses to support the weight. One end of the box screws off to put staves in and out. This works great for having clamps and caul ready to reflex and correct all at once.