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Author Topic: staves bend skyward  (Read 5035 times)

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Offline Dan Yager

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staves bend skyward
« on: May 22, 2016, 12:29:38 pm »
I am super new to bow building!  Always wanted to make my own and I did.  The question I have is, why are my staves bending so much during the drying process?  I believe I have osage logs, and when split and bark removed, the back of the wood bends at both ends.  Is there a way to keep the staves straight, or does it matter??  Thanks  Dan
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Offline Pat B

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Re: staves bend skyward
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2016, 12:35:26 pm »
Staves will generally reflex or twist as they dry. You can reduce the stave to almost bow size and bind or clamp it to a form to eliminate this or at least most of it. Once the staves is well seasoned you can adjust or correct it with a little heat.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: staves bend skyward
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2016, 12:47:03 pm »
Osage doesn't reflex that much as it dries unless its a very small stave.  Are you sure you have osage?  Could you post a picture of them?  Reflex is a good thing as long as its not to much.  You could always strap them to a 2x4 as they dry so they stay straight. 
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Offline Dan Yager

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Re: staves bend skyward
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2016, 01:22:58 pm »
I really appreciate the input already  Not good at PC stuff so I will throw some pics up (try).  One is the bent stave, the other is a piece I split from the log that was too crooked to work and then there is this bow I just built from the same wood.  I have only seen one osage tree in our county, so a friend brought me two that he thought were osage.  I am not sure really what it is, ha!  I keep hitting browse to attach pics but nothing happens, figures
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Offline Dan Yager

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Re: staves bend skyward
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2016, 02:42:23 pm »
I can't figure out how to attach pics, keep getting denied for file size.
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Offline Stoker

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Re: staves bend skyward
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2016, 03:42:00 pm »
Email the pictures to yourself it'll resize them automatic.. then save them to your pics.. Additional options.. highlight pic.. no more than 6 pics.. they will be 600 x 400
Thanks Leroy
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Offline paulsemp

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Re: staves bend skyward
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2016, 04:08:19 pm »
If you're using your cell phone download an app called photo resizer. It's free and super easy to use
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Offline cadet

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Re: staves bend skyward
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2016, 05:25:40 am »
If there're bending towards the back ie reflex, that's a good thing.  Wood bends that way as it loses moisture - more moisture is lost from the wetter outer rings, so it shrinks more than the inner rings.
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Offline Urufu_Shinjiro

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Re: staves bend skyward
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2016, 12:33:11 pm »
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