Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: barebo on May 01, 2010, 09:08:24 pm
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I have a really nice Hard Maple all roughed out. It has close to 3" of natural reflex. The upper limb has about 20 degrees of twist.
I really wanted to make a recurve - my first, but wonder if boiling the tips would straighten out the twist after being clamped in the form ?? Would it be better / safer to just use dry heat, and flip the tips a few inches, and straighten the twist and call it good??
I know that recurves need near perfect string alignment, and this one is enough out of whack that I don't know if it's worth ruining a really nice stave for a maybe. What do you think ??? It's 69" overall.
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I've done a lot of steaming on hard maple with good success. Dry heat will work too, although if it's a more severe bend I would stick with steam.
Dry heat will work really well for adjusting your string alignment.
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Yeah, like Barrage said. Maple is nice for heat treating but recurves better with steam. A little flipped tips could be done with dry heat but real recurves not - the wood will break.
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Thanks guys - I think that I'll resist my "recurve urge" and just flip the tips a bit. I think it's just not a true enough stave for a 'curve.