Bending Hickory

[Aaron curtis]

I know there is some debate on bending hickory. I want to try and put a little bend in the tips of a bow I am working on but wanted to test a separate piece of hickory first.  For those who have had success would you say this jig is too extreme of a bend for hickory?  Thanks

Aaron

[Pat B]

I'd say it's not too extreme for hickory but I'd steam the wood to bend it.

[Danzn Bar]

What Pat B said.......
DBar

[Eric Krewson]

I used a similar caul for a hickory bow I bent last week, I steamed the limb for 1/2 hour and got some cracking. You can see a splinter raising in the picture, I had enough wood to file below the crack but still added an osage overlay to strengthen the bend as it would flex a bit before I put on the osage.
I toasted the limbs a couple of days ago as well.



 

[Eric Krewson]

Here is the bow before I heat treated it, almost ready for the short string, the right limb is still too stiff.

[Aaron curtis]

Thanks guys.  I actually found an old hickory bow that I forgot I had started and put it in the caul last night and I was surprised at how easy the hickory bent.  I don’t have anything to compare it to because I have never steam bent anything but from what I had been reading I was expecting it to be a little harder to bend than it was.  It’s been in the caul about 12-13 hours.  Does toasting the back help to set the bend?   Nice looking bow Eric.  I am picking up some Osage sometime next week maybe I will do the same thing you did.

[timmyd]

 I'm going to try steaming. I've tried heating hickory with 0 results. it seems to always pull out. can't keep it bent

[bushboy]

Yes,you have set the bends in with dry heat after steaming/boiling.i apply heat aggressively holding the heat gun about 4" above until the wood turns brown with Whitewood! Just gotta be careful not a damage the back!

[Aaron curtis]

When you guys set the bend are you using only a heat gun or would a propane torch work if you were careful?  Is it best to leave it in caul while you toast it or can you take it out?

[bushboy]

With a torch I would keep it at least 10/12" above,been there.yes keep it in the form.pics?

[bushboy]

The idea is to let the heat penetrate and not just burn the surface.

[Aaron curtis]

Here’s the test bow.  If I screw this one up I won’t be to upset since I forgot had even started it. Lol. I probably will just pick up a heat gun tomorrow and go that route.  I just found an old thread and it appears toasting the limbs is a fairly slow process. In my case I am only adding some bend to the tip so if I got this right the first step is using some kind of oil on limbs then slowly getting them up to temp on the caul and then allowing it to cool back down in the caul.   I assume your just heating and oiling the part of the limb that your applying heat to?

[Soggydog]

I had pretty much the exact thing happen to me the other day Eric; I'm still waiting to see if I've got enough wood left to compensate for the belly splinter. In the event I can't get it all the way down, is leaving a small portion of it going to be fatal to the bow? Push come to shove I can cut the thing shorter if I need to.

[DC]

You can remove all the cracked part and glue on an underlay.

[Aaron curtis]

Finally finished the hickory bow for my 8 year old nephews birthday tomorrow.  I like to procrastinate.  It’s 50” ntn and about 14# @ 18” (his draw length).   It’s not perfect but I learned a ton.  This is my 4th bow and 2 of the other 3 were bows I made were for my 7 year old and 5 year old.   I think I would rather tiller a heavier poundage bow.   I always worry I am over stressing the limbs of these super low poundage bows even with a bow scale on the tillering tree.  The bow has some set and there is minor twist in the tips but overall I was happy with it even though it has some flaws.  I doubt my 8 year old nephew will find them or even care for that matter.