Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: riverrat on October 11, 2015, 10:13:25 pm
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have a bow im working on. its American elm. problem is it has dried into a propeller twist just past the handle on one end. ive been trying heat bending and it aint working at all. any advice. this will make a beautiful bow, i need that twist out.maybe soak it for a long time then heat it? maybe steam? anyone use American elm? thanks Tony
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Soaking will more than likely just cause you more problems later. I would seal it up and steam it. I'm kinda surprised that dry heat isn't working on it. Some staves are just stubborn I guess. Josh
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me too, ive always used dry heat, well greased but dry none the less. it aint working. Tony
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I don't worry about prop twists unless they are really severe. This one was not too bad. My goodness; this was a long time ago. I gave this bow away to a friend. Jawge
http://traditionalarchery101.com/aerobow.html
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I guess Steam as Doc said, :-\ never used American Elm but have used quite a bit of Winged Elm and it always works great with dry heat. ??? Some don't mind a little and propeller twist and as long as the string stays on it will shoot fine. I for one can't stand it and have to get it out one way or the other. :)
Pappy
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I'm surprised dry heat isn't doing it for you, I use American Elm all the time. How bad is the twist? (Pics?)
If you dont mind me asking, what kind of set up are you using?
Cheers
Thunder
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I haven't work with elm but any wood I have worked has responded well to steam, especially for twist. I try and use the steam in a plastic bag method. That way you can bend it while it's steaming. No worries about it cooling off.
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yes it will shoot well if the string stays on,,so it is more about personal preference beyond that,,I have not worked with that wood, but sounds like if you heat or steam longer it may give in a bit :) heres one with a bit of twist,, I just made it to see if it would work,, shot fine,,
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You should use steam particularly.
Clamp the stave in a vice, prevent bending downwards with a stick, use a clamp with a weight to get a momentum.
Hope that makes sense for you. I have some pictures on a thread here but cannot remember where.
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Wet rags and a Microwave oven will do the trick. About 30 seconds a limb.
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... How do you fit a bow in a microwave?
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???
Put the rags in. Then put the hot rags on the limb. ;)
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I would use steam. I just cut some American Elm yesterday (don't even ask how sore I am from carrying a 200 lb log through a marsh and then floating it across a creek with a canoe) but if the twist. Not so bad, I would leave it as it is.
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Take a Microwave for $5 from a yard sale or flea market. Then cut a 2" hole through the tin cover with a hole saw and insert your piece of wood.
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I have had success at slightly removing some propeller twist from the limbs... but even batter what will not come out of the limbs... take it out in the handle... have your handle pretty close to final size... steam or heat gun it and clamp close to the fades and use a pipe wrench on the other fade and let the handle take the bulk of the correction.
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thanks all. steam might be my next course of action. i tried one more time with dry heat. have my wood stove going. so ive been heating it untill i cant touch it. then, since its my house, i used wide flat boards over the top of that ruffed out bow, screwed those boards to the floor! big very big clamp. if this dont work, ill try the exact same thing with steam. after i steam it, into that floor clamp it goes lmbo. Tony
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I would love a pic of that clamp.
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ill take a pic later as i am now trying steam. over the wood stove. dry heat just wouldnt do it. even with being screwed to the floor. soooo, now im streaming it. gonna use that same idea. except im clamping two boards on each limb together with screws. the one side will be screwed to my porch steps outside. the other side has a handle for twisting it. it will either work or it will break. im at that point with this ruffed out bow right now.Tony
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heres the clamp. lol funny, with the steam i can get it to twist the opposite way. sooo, it might work :) although, not very primitive, the principle is. at least thats what im telling myself at this point. lol Tony update: i realy cranked it over now. have that board holding in the twist straight up and down. just felt the handle area between the boards. its still damp. so its gonna stay in there most of the day im thinking. hope i dont over do it the other way.lol im feeling better about this bow now. o.k. maybe a little proppeller twist doesnt matter. this was a bit more than a little. i dont impose my will on wood too much. i like a little character. but i want this one better than a propeller. im thinking, as long as it dont crack when drying, this will do the trick.
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Perfect, as long as it doesn't rain ;)
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most came out. still want to try this further down the top limb a little more. but its working. :) Tony