Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: mullet on May 04, 2016, 04:48:25 pm

Title: NW GUYS
Post by: mullet on May 04, 2016, 04:48:25 pm
I got a question for you NW'ern guys, I'm needing to straighten a twist and bend some curves in a Cascara bow I'm working on. Will that wood take dry heat or do I need to steam it?

I experimented bending a Vine maple bow with the  micro wave and it took 45 seconds of heat to bend recurves in. I was just wondering if Cascara would work the same as vine maple?

Title: Re: NW GUYS
Post by: Parnell on May 04, 2016, 09:37:35 pm
 ;D ;D ;D  Cool to read you got it going!
Title: Re: NW GUYS
Post by: mullet on May 05, 2016, 06:47:57 am
Yea, Steve, I started it over the weekend. That is some soft wood. It is like carving butter with a draw knife.
Title: Re: NW GUYS
Post by: Parnell on May 05, 2016, 07:10:07 am
I've got a 4 day weekend Memorial Day.  You want to think about that fishing trip, possibly?
Title: Re: NW GUYS
Post by: wizardgoat on May 05, 2016, 09:22:52 am
I haven't touched any of my cascara yet, but I've heard steam is what you want.
Title: Re: NW GUYS
Post by: mullet on May 05, 2016, 12:42:14 pm
Thanks, Ryan. If that's the case then the oven will work.
Title: Re: NW GUYS
Post by: helmet on May 05, 2016, 02:43:35 pm
I made one, and tried straightening laterally near the handle with dry heat. It did not want to stay even after repeated attempts. It broke at that spot the first time I strung it.
Title: Re: NW GUYS
Post by: vinemaplebows on May 05, 2016, 02:57:17 pm
Eddie,

                       Wrap the area you want to bend with a wet rag, let it sit for 4-6 hrs tightly wrapped. Nuke away, BUT BEND VERY SLOWLY.
Title: Re: NW GUYS
Post by: mullet on May 05, 2016, 08:55:13 pm
Brian; I thought about soaking that area in a bucket of water, wrapping it and then the nuc. How's that sound?
Title: Re: NW GUYS
Post by: vinemaplebows on May 06, 2016, 01:10:21 am
Ya, that should work, but remember to let it dry, maybe even a little heat gun help to assure it is dry.  Make sure that you give a little extra thickness in the length of the bend. In the past I noticed the wood to not want to hold curves, start thicker than you think is needed.
Title: Re: NW GUYS
Post by: mullet on May 07, 2016, 10:15:56 pm
Micro wave worked on "pizza". :-)