how to steam

[Shondy55]

hey guys,
i was recently working on a hickory short bow and put it on my recurve press and began to bend it using dry heat low and behold a splinter comes up and starts to crack the limb, pretty much destroying the bow.  my question is how do you steam recurve a bow and do you need a steamer? thanks!

also if anyone could point me in the direction of a tutorial or build along that would be great!

[Joec123able]

All you need is a stove a big pot of water an some aluminum foil to steam a tip to reflex or recurve.

[Pat B]

Have you checked the "How To" section?
 Basically, you fill a pot with lots of water and turn the heat up on your stove. (DO NOT LEAVE THE ROOM OR LET THE WATER COOK OUT ) Place the limb tip over the pot of boiling water and use aluminum foil to cover the pot and the bow. You want pot sealed as tightly as you can with the foil but it won't be real tight. You will have to support the other end of the bow obviously but I thought I'd throw that in anyway. While you are waiting for the hickory to soften(30 minutes to 1 hour) get your form and clamps ready and be ready to move fast when the wood is ready to bend. You'll have a minute of less to get it clamped before it cools down too much. Let it rest clamped in the form at least over night. The steaming process will raise the grain on the hickory giving it a bristly feel but it will sand smooth .

[Shondy55]

thanks for the help guys!

[Joec123able]

It's funny I literally just got done Steam bending a tip it works amazing on hackberry I'm sure it works just as good on hickory. Dry heat is usually used on Osage. steam on white woods even tho I use steam on any wood because it works much better then dry heat in my experience

[dwardo]

Dont make your tips too thick, also make sure the belly of the bow where you make the bend is dont to one nice even ring, this helps to avoid splinters.
Also NEVER under any circumstance use your missus`s best pan!

[ssgtchad]

Dont make your tips too thick, also make sure the belly of the bow where you make the bend is dont to one nice even ring, this helps to avoid splinters.
Also NEVER under any circumstance use your missus`s best pan!

+1 on the pan 

[Del the cat]

If you have an wallpaper steamer and some insulation board or a plastic 5L bottle you can do the job (an old duvet/sacking/whatever as insulation helps)
(Google Bowyers Diary and search for steaming if you want pics, or even a vid!)
Del

[karaterick]

Could you use a basic hot water room humidifier directly under the limbs?

[Del the cat]

Could you use a basic hot water room humidifier directly under the limbs?

I wouldn't think so, it's the heat of steam not the humidity of water vapour that does the job.
Del

[DarkSoul]

No. You need the heat to bend wood, not the water (vapor) itself. A room humidifier works by creating water vapor, sometimes even just mist (small water droplets). This will only make the wood wet, not pliable.