Need some help

[Cade]

I'm working on my fourth bow and decided to try something new. I'm hoping for this to be my hunting bow for the upcoming fall and have noticed a lot of really sharp looking bows with flipped tips and really love that design. I've got it about half way floor tillered and am wondering what my next course of action should be. Also, I need some corrections with the allignment and could use any tips for that you guys are willing to offer. The final thing is that this blank has decent sized deflexed then reflexes portion that I'm not sure how to deal with.  I've done hardly any heat bending/corrections so I'm pretty new to the whole process but have a heat gun so would like to use dry heat.

[Pat B]

First, what wood is this bow blank?  That will help determine which method to use.
 If you want to retain the natural reflex you may need to make a reflexed caul to do your heat corrections on. You can make a simple one with a 2x4 cut with an arch, lengthwise. Then you can clamp the handle to the center of the caul and work out each limb with the heat gun and more clamps. Once both limbs are done give it a few days to cool and rehydrate.

[Cade]

It's Osage, 56" ttt if that affects anything. And if I make a caul, with that allow me to align the tips?

[Pat B]

Yes. you can move the limbs with wedges to get the bow lined up, tip to tip.
Osage reacts very well to dry heat. I sometimes coat the area to he heated with cooking oil to help prevent scorching, distribute the heat better and to help hold the heat longer.

[bradsmith2010]

Cade, I see so many  bows ruined using heat,, so please be careful,,
you have make sure the bow is hot enough to bend , or it will crack,,
this takes some experience,, but just dont get overly aggressive on bending,, if the wood is hot,,it will bend easily,,
as it starts to cool,, do not try to bend it more,,
I am sure others will have tips on how to bend with out damaging the wood,,

[mikekeswick]

Don't allow the back to get scorched.
You first need to correct the sideways bend on the that stave. Get a straight board end clamp the middle of the stave to it edge on. asses where the bends are, heat until light brown then clamp the tips down in til you get it straight then go about 15 - 20 percent past straight as it will spring back some when unclamped.
don't worry about the reflex and deflex. They can be dealt with during tillering. just get it straight along its length first.
That stave is pretty short, you will need to make it a bendy handle bow for any decent drawlength.

[Stick Bender]

Also if you can get a laser thermometer & monitor your heat helps wood plasticizes at about 350 Deg but osage bends like plastic about 400 Deg  remember to keep the heat gun about 4 in. away and slow patient heating works best  it takes a while to learn all the tricks but like Brad said don't force it it should bend easy you can do it in several different spots if you need to osage is one of the easer woods to bend ,some don't but I use spray olive oil on the belly seems to help heat distribution also I preheat the area to about 180 Deg and let it set for about 10 minutes before applying full heat not saying it's best but that's what's been working for me I have a whole list of what didn't work 

[DC]

And make your caul out of 2xwhatever material. Any thinner and the stave will bend the caul when you try to take out lateral bends.

[Cade]

Thank you for all the replies! Looks like a caul is next up on my to do list!