Extreme sideways warp

[Black Moshannon]

I am making a hickory selfbow, 67” long and 1/18 wide. Originally when I reduced the stave for drying, it took a severe lateral warp. I steamed some of it out, dried it, and then used heat and lard to further remove warp. I then tilllered it to 61 pounds at 23”. The bow had about 11/8” of string follow, and some warp was still present. I then reverse braced it and heat treated the belly. All the warp came back. I am now trying to remove it with heat, grease, and C-clamps. It’s extremely stubborn and the wood wants to flip whenever I start to clamp it down. I want to remove all the warp and then tiller it to 61# at 27”. Any ideas on a better way to remove this warp? It’s the full length of the bow, not just in one spot.

[DC]

In all truth it's easier to start again if you have the wood. I've found sideways bend to be the worst for coming back to haunt you. If you have to, try and do both bends(sideways and reflex) at the same time. Work one limb at a time and plan all your clamping etc. ahead of time. Good luck.

[bradsmith2010]

once you get it to a reasonable shooting profile,, even if it follows the string, dont heat it any more , tiller and shoot,,
then start another bow,,

[Hamish]

Do you  have a caul, with a board on the side? You can deal with reflex and a side bend at the same time.  I put the reflex in first. Then deal with the sideways adjustment whilst the bow is still clamped to the caul.

[SLIMBOB]

DC nailed it. Do one limb at a time and, use clamps to straighten it and immediately reflex it while clamping to keep it straight. Doable with Osage. I have found Pecan (Hickory) to be much more stubborn.

[Black Moshannon]

Alright, I have a form with a press on both sides so I can reflex and straighten together. I’ll give that a shot. I’m guessing by controlling the limb front to back allows it to be clamped easier on the side.

[Eric Krewson]

I have some fantastic clear, great grain hickory staves that have dogleg, they are the world's worst to go back after they are steamed or heated. I have never been able to tame them.

[leonwood]

Hickory is one of the worst to keep heat corrections in in my experience.
But if you correct a bend and heat treat afterwards without a form, the corrected bend will always return. This will happen with any wood.

I use heat treating over a form to correct lateral bends a lot. If there is a lot of correction needed I steam or heat the handle area also

[DC]

Alright, I have a form with a press on both sides so I can reflex and straighten together. I’ll give that a shot. I’m guessing by controlling the limb front to back allows it to be clamped easier on the side.

Just remember to overbend some. A couple of wedges helps there.

[bassman]

 If you are Hell bent on getting the bow lined up properly, and all else fails you could cut it in 2 pieces at the handle, and use a simple 4 inch V splice glued with Smooth On after you line up the tips with the middle of the handle, and add a lam on the belly side of the handle. You loose 8 inches of over all length though. Tiller to 50 lbs at 27 inches. You would have a 59 inch long  bow. If that is to short,and not enough poundage to suit you build a handle for the 2 pieces, and make it a take down. Just some food for thought.

[DC]

If you are Hell bent on getting the bow lined up properly, and all else fails you could cut it in 2 pieces at the handle, and use a simple 4 inch V splice glued with Smooth On after you line up the tips with the middle of the handle, and add a lam on the belly side of the handle. You loose 8 inches of over all length though. Tiller to 50 lbs at 27 inches. You would have a 59 inch long  bow. If that is to short,and not enough poundage to suit you build a handle for the 2 pieces, and make it a take down. Just some food for thought.

You lose 4" or half the length of the splice. This always drives me nuts. For some reason I can't think my way through it. I have to lay the pieces end to end and slide them the length of the splice and measure the length. Every time. If I don't I get it wrong.

[Black Moshannon]

 While attempting a sharp bend in the forks of a bush to solve the problem, a shard lifted off the back and side of a limb. The lesson learned is some staves are better off as firewood from the start. I doubt that warp would have ever completely come out, it dominated the entire bow. On to another hickory stave.

[Pappy]

Make it a little wider and don't get to bow shape until it is dry, or if you do clamp it down while it dries, I do a ton of Hickory and most all will do that if cut to size while still green and it's worse if it in narrow.
 Pappy