Questions on how to handle reflexing tips and straightening body of bow???

[1776J]

and for putting in recurves I use one like this. I have others with more drastic recurves too

Pat,...
in this photo (or on any given bow you've put on this particular form) how long is the bent area from the beginning of the bend to the tip?
Also, what radius is put into that form? (or was it more of an off the cuff thing when you made the form, just making a curved that "looked right" and cutting it out?)
I'm curious about that as everyone has their unique approaches. 

Thanks Pat.

[Pat B]

This is the form I meant to post before. I can adjust twist, bends and add reflex evenly.



The bow was "Shere Kahn", backed with tiger striped tissue paper.  I decided to make a take down out of her but couldn't figure out how to get her back together. 

[osage outlaw]

That shere was a beautiful bow Pat.   

[Pat B]

She still is. Just not functional!   

[1776J]

She still is. Just not functional!   

I'm figuring you went to pieces at about the same time the bow did! 

[Pat B]

I kicked myself in the butt for being so stupid.    The late night "oil" had a lot to do with it! 

[1776J]

This is the form I meant to post before. I can adjust twist, bends and add reflex evenly.

Funny how the simplest of ideas work the best....
that 2x6 backing up the 2x4 is a great idea for its functionality for taking out twists, etc.

So you take out twists in staves on this before you get to putting in any "flex" of any sort into it with this setup then?

Speaking of the stave I'm working with, with its side bend. After taking it down more, taking a few more rings off of it on the belly and shaping it up on its sides,
when I got to heat straighten it, where do I want to heat it up, and clamp it, if let's say I placed it in a similar form as the one you posted you use for taking out twists, etc.?
Would I heat up the handle area first and take it in at that point, making the ends come into line?  If so, how much area of the handle (center) area of the stave will I want to heat up?  4,6,8,10 inches of it,....or is it more of a case-by case
type of thing depending on the feel and the particular stave?  How would you tackle this piece to straighten it before adding any reflex to it?

Thanks a million!  

[Pat B]

Each stave is different and you have to consider each "malady" and deal with them in order of importance. If too much side to side bend you have to remove that before you cal do most other stuff. Sometimes it takes quite a few heating sessions to get the stave workable.
  Generally I'll clamp the bow at the handle and work out one limb a little then the other, back and forth until the entire length is heated and clamped. Once it is removed from the form you have to see where you are again and go from there. Ideally it only takes a session or two to get a staver into working shape but sometimes it takes a lot.
  This stave went from here...




to here...


a bunch of this...




to finally this. It took aquite a few weeks and lots of heating sessions.





  This was a bow I made last winter and spring for a TradGang Bow Trade. Joe Weed was the recipient. Here he is at full draw.

[Sidewinder]

Guys I really appreciate this thread. I know our buddy 1776 is asking a bunch of questions but I think there a re alot of us out here that have had some of the same and either failed to ask or just were too shy. Thank you Pat for your patience and instruction. The pictures are woth a thousand words. I have not done a lot of twist  correction yet ( I have set those aside for now) The side to side stuff and tip alignment is all I have done and that does'nt require much more than some properly spaced blocks of wood and clamps and a heat gun. I think I want to make a jig like yours Pat that can do the right kind of reflex profile as well as the twist.

Question: if the 2x4 is 1-3/4" wide and you need mor movement than that to correct the twist or side to sidi, how do YOU handle it?

Danny

[Pat B]

You have to find the best starting place and deal with each problem at a time. Sometimes you can do two or 3 things at once but only if everything is OK to move on.   With some srtaves you have to work only one limb at a time on a one limb form to get it where it needs to be. Sometimes just a straight 2x4 can be used to get your tip allignment close and the side to side bends managable then move on the the next problem.
  Once you heat, straighten, untwist or whatever you really need to let it cool completely. I usually let a stave stay on the form until tomorrow. My basement satys around the low 40's this time of the year but I let things rest over night before I unclamp it. Then I check to see what the next step is and move on to it.
  I did a whole build along with the bow about last winter and spring. Do a search to see the entire sequince of events.

[Pat B]

I just went back and found the original post on this bow. It is titled "Back in the Saddle" (by Pat B) and is on about pg. 47 or so in the "Bow" section.  I did a complete build along on TradGang with this bow and thought I had here too but I guess not.

[1776J]

  I did a whole build along with the bow about last winter and spring. Do a search to see the entire sequince of events.

I will specifically look for your build along.  I had done a quick search on some of the issues I've brought up, but wanted to share exactly that which "I" was dealing with.

As it was said above, I vastly appreciate the time you are taking to answer my questions, though they are many, but without the needed knowledge, we are striding towards failure.  
I was always taught, "The only dumb question, is the one you don't ask!"  

[1776J]

I just went back and found the original post on this bow. It is titled "Back in the Saddle" (by Pat B) and is on about pg. 47 or so in the "Bow" section.  I did a complete build along on TradGang with this bow and thought I had here too but I guess not.

If by some chance you come across that on the TradGang site, I'd like to see it.

[Pat B]

On TradGang go to "Bowyers Bench", page 12, 11th post from the top.   There are 37 pages in that thread. Only some are mine. There is a lot of good info there with others building selfbows, wood lambows and glass bows.

[1776J]

Thanks Pat.