Bending Ocean Spray

[DC]

Has anyone had any luck bending OS into tight bends, like a 2" radius. I tried kerfing a 1/2" thick piece and it didn't work. Any methods or ideas?

[vinemaplebows]

I hesitate to bring this up again, get a microwave, it will change your life as to bending wood.

[pnwarcher]

Ok vinemaple, as the new kid on the block I haven't heard of using a microwave for wood bending. Please elaborate! I am about to bend some OS too, so thanks for starting this thread DC.

[Strichev]

You take a microwave, drill a hole through the housing and the mesh in the door, stick a bow through that hole, fire up the oven and run out of range before your eyes start to boil. Alternatively people put wet rags in the hole around the bow to prevent  the said eye-boiling phenomenon from occurring. All in all microwaves are not that dangerous and using common sense this method of really safe.

[bjrogg]

I know Eddie has been doing it for a long time. I haven't tried it yet mostly because my wife won't let drill a hole in her microwave.  How long do you leave in more microwave?
Bjrogg

[DC]

I hesitate to bring this up again, get a microwave, it will change your life as to bending wood.

Have you tried bending OS with a MW?

[Pat B]

BJ, have you seen how short Eddie is?  I'm just saying. 

[vinemaplebows]

Microwaves need water to work. People are for whatever reason afraid of this method. Stichev is right except you also drill a hole in the back as well, now you can get a full length stave through it, and heat what you want. Wet rags should be put around the stave to seal the openings. You will find that the wet rags will heat on the inside, but not the out,(they MUST be wet) therefore sealing the unit. 2-3 minutes and you can bend whatever would you like, but they NEED moisture in the area you are bending. All wood contains moisture, and even dry wood will heat to a point, but buy wrapping the area you want to bend with a wet towel for a couple of hours will increase the effectiveness.


If you are afraid of this, why would you consume anything this thing cooks is my question?

Dc wood is wood.

[vinemaplebows]

I know Eddie has been doing it for a long time. I haven't tried it yet mostly because my wife won't let drill a hole in her microwave.  How long do you leave in more microwave?
Bjrogg

Eddie got this from me years ago, and I got the info from PA yrs before that.

[DC]

Dc wood is wood.

I can bend Yew in a 2" radius no problem, no strap, no special prep. With OS I have to sand it smooth, radius the corners nicely and use a strap and then it's iffy. I've found different woods behave very differently.

[vinemaplebows]

Limitations on bending wood is limited to the species. You are not going to bend Ipe in a circle because of the use of a microwave. Yes, I have taken bends out in OS, but not tried a sharp recurve.

[DC]

Thanks, Os bends very nicely in big curves. I managed one 2" radius this morning by all the things I said above. I'll work on that but I am going to try a short piece in the microwave. No sense cutting a hole in it until I can convince my wife that we need a new one.

[Springbuck]

 I was so leary of microwaving when I first heard about it.  All my research since tells me it's no big deal. And BTW, I am a RadTech/Radiation Therapist by trade, and my college textbooks talk about this.  Under EXACTLY the right circumstances a microwave could BURN you (superficially), or POSSIBLY cause cataracts, but won't cause cancer or prevent you from having kids.

  NOTHING that terrible comes out of a microwave except high energy RADIO waves. These waves have less energy than visible light spectrum, the only way they could hurt you is if you sat and stared inside an unshielded microwave as it ran.  In any reasonably modern machine, there are no X-rays produced, very few free electrons, and the microwaves are aimed at the food.  The rest of the microwave is well shielded.  I WOULD suggest you find some way to drill a hole and not take off the door, but standing behind the microwave or walking a short distance away would have greater effect.

Microwave ovens were invented when a RADAR technician's chocolate bar melted in the front pocket of his apron, and there was never any damage to his skin,m testicles, etc.....  also the inverse square law shows that the beam intensity drops exponentially.

I have never microwaved a stave, but I have used this method (with my regular indoor microwave) to bend stubborn slats of tropical hardwoods or whatever for recurve overlays or handle build-ups, and it works like nothing else out there.  Sometimes I soak the slats or wrap them in wet towels, but they bend like rubber and you better use gloves to handle the wood when it comes out.

[DC]

I think I've got it. If I start with a wood thickness of about 7/16" and kerf it that leaves the pieces about 3/16" each. Then if I sand the outside(belly) and round the corners thoroughly and use a backing strip I can be pretty sure of getting a decent bend. I had to just keep thinning them out until it worked. It has to work every time otherwise you throw away a lot of bows. I tried the MW once and it didn't seem to be that much different than my steamer. Once isn't a fair trial though. Sure did get hot. I measured it with my laser thermometer and it was about 250 degrees right out of the MW. If nothing else it would give you more working time.

[vinemaplebows]

I was so leary of microwaving when I first heard about it.  All my research since tells me it's no big deal. And BTW, I am a RadTech/Radiation Therapist by trade, and my college textbooks talk about this.  Under EXACTLY the right circumstances a microwave could BURN you (superficially), or POSSIBLY cause cataracts, but won't cause cancer or prevent you from having kids.

  NOTHING that terrible comes out of a microwave except high energy RADIO waves. These waves have less energy than visible light spectrum, the only way they could hurt you is if you sat and stared inside an unshielded microwave as it ran.  In any reasonably modern machine, there are no X-rays produced, very few free electrons, and the microwaves are aimed at the food.  The rest of the microwave is well shielded.  I WOULD suggest you find some way to drill a hole and not take off the door, but standing behind the microwave or walking a short distance away would have greater effect.

Microwave ovens were invented when a RADAR technician's chocolate bar melted in the front pocket of his apron, and there was never any damage to his skin,m testicles, etc.....  also the inverse square law shows that the beam intensity drops exponentially.

I have never microwaved a stave, but I have used this method (with my regular indoor microwave) to bend stubborn slats of tropical hardwoods or whatever for recurve overlays or handle build-ups, and it works like nothing else out there.  Sometimes I soak the slats or wrap them in wet towels, but they bend like rubber and you better use gloves to handle the wood when it comes out.

About time somone done some research on this issue. I can't tell you the times I was told I was nuts, and how this was a "bad" idea. That's the reason for the hesitation posting it again.

I also have a old dial microwave that I can plug in several feet from with the timer set. I usually only do this when people are squeamish about it's use.