about that steam bending....

[bradsmith2010]

my neighbor was Amish, he made rocking chairs from hickory,, he did some really nice steam bending,, I traded some of my turkeys for one,,

[DC]

They have a steel rim holding the wheel in shape.

[PatM]

In Adams book he uses steam to bend his maple cores before glueing on the horn.
I think it's a perfect combo of horn, sinew, and core which allows a horn bow to keep its shape.
Although my bighorn bow with no wood core seems to hold its shape just fine

   Does he steam bend the hard working inner limb?

[wizardgoat]

No sir he doesn't.  And sorry Rich, didn't mean to get in on the thread hi jack

[mikekeswick]

In Adams book he uses steam to bend his maple cores before glueing on the horn.
I think it's a perfect combo of horn, sinew, and core which allows a horn bow to keep its shape.
Although my bighorn bow with no wood core seems to hold its shape just fine

   Does he steam bend the hard working inner limb?

Do you mean the working limbs that need to be close to straight to reduce separation forces on the laminates??? How about the kasan eye?

Marc - yes the core must be steam bent into the desired shape before you glue horn. The wood is stiffer than the horn so the horn conforms to the cores shape. The horn is also heated prior to gluing to make it more flexible. The horn/core are then shaped and the sinew added.
My point is that the bows shape is held by the steam bent core. Obviously the wood isn't doing tension/compression 'work' but it does get bent quiet significantly and returns . If steam bent wood lost its shape we wouldn't bother steam bending wood.

[PatM]

In Adams book he uses steam to bend his maple cores before glueing on the horn.
I think it's a perfect combo of horn, sinew, and core which allows a horn bow to keep its shape.
Although my bighorn bow with no wood core seems to hold its shape just fine

   Does he steam bend the hard working inner limb?

Do you mean the working limbs that need to be close to straight to reduce separation forces on the laminates??? How about the kasan eye?

Marc - yes the core must be steam bent into the desired shape before you glue horn. The wood is stiffer than the horn so the horn conforms to the cores shape. The horn is also heated prior to gluing to make it more flexible. The horn/core are then shaped and the sinew added.
My point is that the bows shape is held by the steam bent core. Obviously the wood isn't doing tension/compression 'work' but it does get bent quiet significantly and returns . If steam bent wood lost its shape we wouldn't bother steam bending wood.

   The working limb is not straight in many composites. You seem to be thinking only of Turkish bows..
 The Kasan eye flattens. it does not "bend".

   That's a good test to see if steam bent wood holds up in  a working section. Make a wooden bow with a kasan eye or fully working recurve and see if it holds up by itself."

[half eye]

Carry on everyone. It is hopeless to try and share information and get input so that everyone can be aware of different things (increase the knowledge base). There was nothing in my original post about ...."OMG, steam is the only way (or best way) to bend wood". Have a good time till ya run out of breath or piss.....which-ever comes first.
rich

[Pappy]

I have made several bow steam bending with out any problems, Ryan O use to be on here made many many working recurves steam bending and they held just fine, I do prefer heat when I can ,but steam is a very good option also. Some times I wonder about you guys.
 Pappy

[bradsmith2010]

no worries Half Eye, thanks  for sharing, I am learning as I am sure others have as well,, 

[PatM]

Carry on everyone. It is hopeless to try and share information and get input so that everyone can be aware of different things (increase the knowledge base). There was nothing in my original post about ...."OMG, steam is the only way (or best way) to bend wood". Have a good time till ya run out of breath or piss.....which-ever comes first.
rich

  Aren't you getting input?

[burchett.donald]

  My opinion on steam from a guy in the trenches is that it holds wonderfully...The inner cells of a limb reach a certain temperature whether your using a heat gun, camp fire, grill or steam...My findings is that steam is more of an even heat since it totally surrounds all surfaces, back, belly and sides without the risk of scorching. I have experienced set as everyone, but can't blame it on steam, a minimal amount is to be expected anyway...Here is my latest example and I was well pleased...I would really like to here others findings on steam results good or bad...Just covering steam bending here, no tempering...

     The finished profile shows some loss of reflex that I blame on tillering stress...55@25, 51@24...Severe deflexed mid limb corrected by steam...
                                                                                                                                          Don

[PatM]

  My opinion on steam from a guy in the trenches is that it holds wonderfully...The inner cells of a limb reach a certain temperature whether your using a heat gun, camp fire, grill or steam...My findings is that steam is more of an even heat since it totally surrounds all surfaces, back, belly and sides without the risk of scorching. I have experienced set as everyone, but can't blame it on steam, a minimal amount is to be expected anyway...Here is my latest example and I was well pleased...I would really like to here others findings on steam results good or bad...Just covering steam bending here, no tempering...

     The finished profile shows some loss of reflex that I blame on tillering stress...55@25, 51@24...Severe deflexed mid limb corrected by steam...
                                                                                                                                          Don

   That "certain temperature" is potentially vastly different with each heating method.

[bradsmith2010]

Pat, I am still learning ,, keep it up,,

[burchett.donald]

Whatever temperature it is, it works    
                                                           Don

[Mad Max]

When you steam bend osage do you seal the wood first to keep moisture out??


And, can a 2" wide x 1" thick osage be steam bent