best method for straightening a limb

[tgr]

I have a beech wood bow.  Shoots well yet the bottom limb bends slightly to the left.  As a result the string at mid bow is off center.  I had posted earlier regarding my arrow flight and was told to align the string more to the center for better arrow flight.
Any suggestions on how to accomplish this.  The bow already had the cloth snakeskin backing.

Thanks ahead for any help.

Tom R

[artcher1]

Do you have a heat gun? If so, then slowly heat the belly section (only) to be moved. If done right your backing won't get hot enough to release. You'll need to come up with some way for straightening/bracing but that shouldn't be too difficult. It doesn't take as much heat as you would think on an already thinned/working limb. Good luck. ART

[tgr]

Thanks, but I do not have a heat gun. How about steaming?

[artcher1]

Steam may screw up your backing. Any type of heat source like a stove burner or propane torch will do. Trick is to heat slowly and not scorch your wood or damage the bow's backing.

Can you tell just where the limb needs correcting? With your bow being beech and probably having wide limbs you may have to concentate moving the outer third of your limb. Here's a tip for you: if you can look down the center of your handle, and your limb tip centers in the handle itself,  then you're good to go. Check the other limb the same way. If it's tip centers in the center of the handle then that limb is aligned. Hope that helped. ART

 

[denny]

If you know someone that has a space heater, just put your bow near it and turn till to hot to touch and put in a vise or gig or against some folcrum and bend gently just past center. work slow and you may have to reheat a few times till you get it. Just don't hurry it . Good luck Denny

[artcher1]

Another method you might try is wrapping your limb with a black garbage bag and laying in the sun. Perhaps on a concrete sidewalk or driveway. Haven't a clue if'n it'll work but worth a try. Just make sure to shade your other limb because the heat may draw/crook that one too. But as I mentioned before, it's going to take less heat then you think because you already have your bow working. ART

[JW_Halverson]

Consider heating the handle section instead of the limb.  Several reasons.  1)  If you mess up the backing, just cover it with a nice leather grip.  2) You will need to bend less to get the tips in line...kinda like a teeter-totter, small movement in the middle equals great movement out on the tips.

[tgr]

Thanks for all the advice.  I guess my question now is do I really need to have the string down the center of the bow?  Does this have a significant effect on arrow flight?
TR

[artcher1]

For best flight, then yes, perfect string alignment is important. That being said, you can still get the job done with less than perfect flight. It's just a lot more fun and less frustrating with one less thing to worry about. ART B

[tgr]

How about a hair dryer?  Would that provide enough heat?
TR

[artcher1]

How about a hair dryer?  Would that provide enough heat?
TR

Maybe...........give it a try and see. I melt bees wax with mine all the time. ART

[Marc St Louis]

How about a hair dryer?  Would that provide enough heat?
TR

Not likely but there is one thing that many women own that will do the trick, if you are married and that is a clothes iron.  You can use it with the steamer or just by itself.  It does get hot enough to scorch the wood, I know because I've used one before on wood