steaming

[Spotted Dog]

when steaming set back in a handle how long do you need to leave it clamped?

[stuckinthemud]

there's two schools of thought on this, as far as I can make out. There's those that say to leave it clamped until its done cooling, and those that say to leave it clamped for as long as possible but at least overnight. A few hours seems to work for me usually, but I also like to fix the bend in place later with some dry heat.

[DC]

I aim a fan at the hot spot for a few hours and that usually does it but I have to say I feel better about it if I leave it overnight. If you can arrange your time so you steam it last thing of the day then it becomes a non-issue Ditto on the dry heat, it really seems to help.

[Dances with squirrels]

It depends on how many staves I have to do. I have 2 reflex cauls and have done several a day. By the time I get another growth ring chased and reduce the stave to steaming dimensions, it's been about two hours, and they behave pretty well unclamped at that time. If it was a severe correction or I don't need the caul, I leave it in there at least a day, sometimes a week... and they do seem to stay put a wee bit better that way.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Same here, Jeff. I have found that when it takes an incredible amount of heat to even move wood that a bit of residual heat isn't enough to change it after unclamping. If it bounces back after a few hours, you didn't put enough heat to it to begin with.

[Spotted Dog]

I released it and pretty much got what I wanted. It is a short pony bow and only 1/2" thick at handle.
I am going to sinew back this one.

[BowEd]

Probably everyone knows this I'm sure as a side note but steaming wood actually dries a wood out more in the end.Heat drives sap moisture out.As water moisture leaves quicker then sap moisture later.I'm a fan of tempering with heat gun after steaming myself.Leaving it on the form after steam bending.Tempering it in a couple of days.Making sure it got hot enough to hold.

[bubby]

I will steam one limb , bend and clamp it, put the other end in to steam , when it is ready to bend i remove the caul on the other limb then bend and clamp, get it hot enough it will stay

[gfugal]

Probably everyone knows this I'm sure as a side note but steaming wood actually dries a wood out more in the end.Heat drives sap moisture out.As water moisture leaves quicker then sap moisture later.I'm a fan of tempering with heat gun after steaming myself.Leaving it on the form after steam bending.Tempering it in a couple of days.Making sure it got hot enough to hold.

Are you saying that steaming will dry out the wood more than heat? Is that because you apply sap when you're heat treating? I would imagine heat gun or steam would drive moisture out the same. Maybe heat gun more since it can potentially get the wood hotter, but then again the water in steam is a better conductor so maybe that's why.       

[DC]

I aim a fan at the hot spot for a few hours and that usually does it but I have to say I feel better about it if I leave it overnight. If you can arrange your time so you steam it last thing of the day then it becomes a non-issue Ditto on the dry heat, it really seems to help.

I have also found that about a half hour after you've steamed it, it kind of reaches a plastic state. It will more or less stay where you put it. So I bend it too much and then after a half hour of cooling I move it to where I want it to be. It usually stays. Saves guessing on the overbend.