Will, thanks for the hints. I'll convert those measurements and see how they compare with my finished product. And thanks for the tip with the heat gun Del.
I decided to start the heat treating with the bow clamped to the side of a 2x4 and induce a little reflex while I'm at it with a chunk of wood clamped under the handle area. Del, as much as I love your idea of correcting the tip alignment at the same time, I just could not bring myself to mounting the bow in the jig I built to do that. The logistics just didn't seem like it would work out for me. With the wider caul that would be required, I was too worried about scorching the back, which I have done in the past. So I came to the conclusion I would correct the alignment with heat applied to a small section of limb after the heat treatment is done. I understand your logic for avoiding reheating, but I have also read some other notable bowyers say that that is not an issue. My inexperience doesn't allow me to form my own opinion on the matter
Here's a shot of how it's working out so far. I've got the gun running at 800 degrees F (will go all the way up to 1200 but I don't want to push my luck). I'm keeping the gun 4" from the belly at all times, blowing for 6-8 minutes, and then advancing about 3 or 4 inches up the limb. The jig is working out great, it allows me very precise and easy adjustments for the gun position. The wood is actually getting a little darker than it appears in this picture. I'll post some close-ups once it's done. At this rate it's going to be an all day event, but I'd rather let the heat soak in slowly than end up just scorching the surface.
