Elm möllegabet toasting/tempering? Yes or no?

[AndiE]

Hi

I have a möllegabet made of elm (65", 45#@26,5") and I want to give it to my Dad as a birthday present this saturday.
I don`t know if I should temper/toast the limbs at the bely or not.
What would you do? What would you guys think would be the differences?

Tomorrow I will send some pics because I need some advice on the bow and the tiller.

Kind regards
Andi

[wizardgoat]

Never heat treat the back, only the belly. From what I've heard elm responds very well to heat treating

[AndiE]

Hi

Yes I meant the belly.    My fault, sorry.

Kind regards
Andi

[half eye]

AndiE,
      If you have the bow completed already and it's shooting well, why are you going to cook-it? I guess the question is "if it aint broke....." If all your looking for is one more thing to get familiar with go for it, but there were (and are) a ton of bows made without the cooking cycle.
rich

[joachimM]

Elm responds so well to toasting, you'll probably crank that elm bow from 45 to 65#, and maybe that's out of your dad's comfort zone (it would certainly be out of mine for accurate shooting). So unless you're really concerned about speed, I would just leave it as it is.
Actually, ion the last elm bow I heat treated with a heat gun, the back also started to show transversal tension cracks. It's still shooting, but there's dead mass slowing down the bow now. But I don't feel like chasing the growth ring below, or worse, backing an elm bow ?!

Joachim

[AndiE]

Hi

I thought of making it a bit faster but not stronger, so that I have to tiller it down again.

Kind regards
Andi

[Drewster]

If you heat treat it tonight and give it several days to rehydrate, then retiller, then refinish you might not have time to get it to your Dad by his birthday........if that makes any difference.  At this juncture, I'll likely leave it alone.

[bushboy]

Heat treating makes it hold reflex and adds a higher early draw weight.i temper all my elm bows some more than others,yes it is a great tool when looking for more than average wooden bow.

[Springbuck]

Elm responds so well to toasting, you'll probably crank that elm bow from 45 to 65#, and maybe that's out of your dad's comfort zone (it would certainly be out of mine for accurate shooting).
Joachim

  I feel this is a SLIGHT exaggeration, but essentially correct.    Elm LOVES toasting.  I do pick up 15%  of draw weight by belly tempering often.  A lot depends on the thickness.