Heat Treat / Toasting Belly

[Elktracker]

Mike As far as the resins and oils, " being in small quantities" I think it depends on the wood you are talking about as to the quantities. When you heat treat a bow properly you do it slow so it soaks deep into the wood is how I understand it so I would think the cells within are also being compressed, not just the surface. I will let Pat explain it him self as he knows allot more about the subject than I do. Maybe Marc st louis will chime in and give his spin on things too? He wrote a chapter in Tbb on heat treating.

Josh

[soy]

Love these threads, so many points of view and the benefits are of great value...thank you all

[mikekeswick]

Josh I understand what you are talking about. Take ipe as an example - absolutely full of resins yet when it's heat treated there is virtually no change in it's properties. Elm has virtually nothing in the way of oils in it yet excells when heat treated. Why does the belly become concave (starting flat) after treating? Something has to be 'leaving' the wood. If you get some resin and let it set it will become brittle and turn to powder when compressed. Also as I said before only the very surface of the belly is really 'working' so what happens inside the wood has no real effect on it's bending properties. If you get a chrysal anytime cut out the affected area and look at how deep the damage goes.

[Elktracker]

Makes sense all good points Mike.

Josh