Author Topic: Re: First Yew Flatbow Build/Help Along-Pics Added (Read 11572 times)

BowEd · « **Reply #15 on:** October 02, 2016, 09:53:35 pm »

Hey I'd be interested in peoples' methods of steaming a whole bow.
If too much twist is'nt there an option of making billets resplicing in the handle to take a high majority of the twist out?I guess if the twist is over a long stretch that might not get it either though.

FilipT · « **Reply #16 on:** October 03, 2016, 10:07:01 am »

I heard of method using a plastic pipe with one end connected to steamer and on other end is cap with a hole. Hole is just enough big to allow excess of steam to freely flow outside.
You put whole bow into the pipe and turn on the steamer, that's it.
Main problem is of course, you have to have steamer which I am sure not lot of people have.

Possible alternative is pot of boiling water which instead of being completely covered on top, has special cover with hole on which flexible tube is mounted. Other end of that tube is connected to the pipe mentioned at beginning. Thus you got a relatively cheap steamer.

stuckinthemud · « **Reply #17 on:** October 03, 2016, 11:39:09 am »

To be fair, the yew bows I built had about that much twist and I pretty much finished the rough-out then took the twist out with dry heat - don't know what Pacific yew is like but the yew I worked with responds really well to heat

DC · « **Reply #18 on:** October 03, 2016, 01:23:50 pm »

Quote from: Stalker on October 03, 2016, 10:07:01 am

I heard of method using a plastic pipe with one end connected to steamer and on other end is cap with a hole. Hole is just enough big to allow excess of steam to freely flow outside.
You put whole bow into the pipe and turn on the steamer, that's it.
Main problem is of course, you have to have steamer which I am sure not lot of people have.

Possible alternative is pot of boiling water which instead of being completely covered on top, has special cover with hole on which flexible tube is mounted. Other end of that tube is connected to the pipe mentioned at beginning. Thus you got a relatively cheap steamer.

If you are using PVC you have to support the pipe. It will sag once it heats up if you don't. Just a 1x4 under it is enough. You can make a perfectly good steamer out of a big pot. Put the lid aside and use a piece of plywood with a hose fitting of some sort through it. Put a rock on it to hold it closed. There is really no pressure involved in steaming. If there is you are slowing down the steam and all the heat isn't getting to the wood. My steamer has a 3/4" ID so a piece of lawn hose will probably work. I think rubber would be better than plastic as, like the PVC, the plastic will probably soften with the heat. I use plastic bags to steam bows. Bread bags for spot steaming, plastic tubes for longer pieces(full limbs or bows). You can clamp stuff up while it's still steaming, no cooling off, no rushing. Once it's all clamped just tear off all of the bag you can and let it cool.
http://www.core77.com/posts/35838/A-Better-Way-to-Steam-Wood-for-Bending-Use-a-Plastic-Bag

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=52364.0

stuckinthemud · « **Reply #19 on:** October 04, 2016, 05:40:55 am »

I've tried the plastic bag thing for steaming - works really well. I run the steam-pipe along the bow as an additional heat source and arrange things so the steam flows back toward the steamer. If you haven't got a sheet of plastic long enough for the whole bow you can overlap a few bags and loosely tie off the joints with string and the pipe maintains a gap for the steam to flow back through the tube of bags.
Word of warning - everything gets really, really hot.

Pappy · « **Reply #20 on:** October 04, 2016, 08:25:19 am »

I have had good luck with dry heat on Yew, just have to be careful when clamping, soft shims as Carson said and don't pull the clamps down to tight, I go a little over also and if it is very bad , don't try and get all of it at once, it crushes very easy.

Pappy

BowEd · « **Reply #21 on:** October 04, 2016, 10:12:09 pm »

Thanks for sharing that steaming method and all of the pitfalls that may occur along the way.I have plenty of 6mm visqueen from construction here and a turkey fryer too with a suitable container.Just gotta make sure I've got enough C clamps now.
I hear what Pappy's saying there too.A little at a time with dry heat can probably get it too.If Carson says it's possible too it can be done....lol.

Cloudfeather · « **Reply #22 on:** October 17, 2016, 08:52:53 pm »

Getting this thing roughed out and there is this one spot along the edge where the sapwood is a bit thicker. Should I just proceed as normal or address the thickness?

The twist will be addressed as soon as I get her floor tillered. Lol

wizardgoat · « **Reply #23 on:** October 17, 2016, 11:55:49 pm »

where is that on your limb? 1/2" sapwood is pushing it for me, if you reduce it does it also help flatten the limb there a bit?

Cloudfeather · « **Reply #24 on:** October 18, 2016, 12:00:03 am »

I ended up reducing the whole back to 1/4" sapwood. She's going to get rawhide and snake skin. Wanted a self bow originally, but there's always next time.

Bryce · « **Reply #25 on:** October 18, 2016, 03:15:59 am »

Could still be a selfbow

Cloudfeather · « **Reply #26 on:** October 18, 2016, 10:12:39 am »

Bryce, the area where the sapwood flares out, the rings are much wider. There are some pretty bad violations. They both make me nervous and aren't very aesthetic.

Cloudfeather · « **Reply #27 on:** October 18, 2016, 10:29:20 pm »

It's not pretty, but try and tell me it doesn't work. I cannot straighten a bow on a caul if my life depended on it. But some weights and c clamps is super easy for me. Lol

Bryce · « **Reply #28 on:** October 19, 2016, 12:09:22 am »

Quote from: Cloudfeather on October 18, 2016, 10:12:39 am

Bryce, the area where the sapwood flares out, the rings are much wider. There are some pretty bad violations. They both make me nervous and aren't very aesthetic.

Could still be a selfbow.

stuckinthemud · « **Reply #29 on:** October 19, 2016, 05:41:48 am »

1/4 sapwood is plenty for a yew self-bow