Vinemaple recurve help?

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I've finally decided on what to do with my vinemaple stave. I want to make a recurve pulling 60# at 26". Though I'll probably tiller to 27" to be safe. The stave is about 70" long,3" or so wide, 1.5" thick, with about 2" of reflex. Once I get started I'll start posting pictures and make it onto a build along. It's also essentially perfectly straight, so hook alignment won't be much of a problem. Any advice on working and bending vine maple is appreciated. Without knducing any deflect and the fades, I expect to see about 5" or reflex after bending the hooks.

Thanks,
Kyle

[aaron]

Vm will often increase reflex during rough out.
Vm is "stringy" a rasp is your friend.
small knots and humps on the back are easy to violate during debarking.
humps on the back need to be followed on the belly.
iron and vinegar makes a nice dark grey stain

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Thanks for the tips. Sounds like a rasp and sharp scraper proposition to me. I may use my scraper to remove the bark before I sharpen it to keep the back a bit cleaner.
 I looked over the stave a bit closer again. I may wait and see if I want to try a recurve out of it. It does have a little wiggle. The bark is still on, so I'm not positive of what I'm working with yet. I may just do a stiff handles D bow and let the reflex do its thing.
One last question on VM, heat treat or no? Will it help, hurt, or make almost no difference?

Thanks,
Kyle

[aaron]

I have not tried heat treating VM.

[osage outlaw]

I heat treated my VM bow with good results.

[vinemaplebows]

Personally only very slight gains, if any. Vine maple is sensitive to getting too dry, be careful. Pow!