Help please with first bow from a tree

[Ben.Kellerman]

long story short, some of you may have seen my previous post asking about tree identification about a week ago.  Figured it out, it's maple!  That's where the story begins.  Now I've slowly roughed out the tree since cutting it and as you can see from the pics, this is where I'm at.  I have it basically floor tillered but I'm guessing from being impatient with drying I've got a huge check in the handle and the poor bow looks like an "S".  On the bright side, I think the profile looks kind of nice!  Did I spend a week making a fancy piece of firewood or is there a chance to save this bow with a bunch of epoxy and heat bending(which I have not done before)  As always, thanks in advance for any help!

[upstatenybowyer]

That just looks like a drying check where you left thickness in the handle. It shouldn't cause any issues as long as it stays right there, where the bow won't bend.

I would recommend waiting till it reaches equilibrium moisture content before you start to bend it, or else it'll take wicked set. Just weigh the bow every day until the weight remains constant. 

[Ben.Kellerman]

Thanks upstate!  WNY here!  You getting any snow where you are?  We got a pretty wicked storm today that covered the ground again.  . Should I do anything to prevent the check from expanding?  Super glue?  Clamps?

[Springbuck]

  To fix that check in the handle (you don't actually have to), just saw into it lengthwise with any old saw to square it up, and glue in a splint of scrap wood to match. 

  Your bow is looking fine.    If you are down to floor tiller thickness, get some C-clamps (3 minimum) and a stiff board, like a 1 x 3 piece of oak or something, and crank the bow straight.  No need to take out all the curves perfectly, but pull the big curves out, and get the tips aligned with the handle.  All you have to do is clamp down one tip (use shims) lean the bow off to the side, clamp at the curve, then bring the handle back to center and clamp that.

  Then, get some 2x4 blocks to suspend it over your stove's burner, and toast each section you can reach for about 5 minutes on medium high (mine likes the number 6).  Golden brown!  Set a timer and watch it.   Then, let it cool, move your clamps around so you can reach the untoasted sections and repeat.

  Good luck.

[DC]

Like UPS said leave it stabilise for a while. That's a minor crack, I've had Ocean Spray that diameter open up 1/2" wide. I've filled them with CA and sawdust, epoxy and sawdust, Bondo, pitch glue and nothing. Take your choice. Springbucks saw kerf makes the nicest job. The front profile doesn't matter as long as a straight line from tip to tip runs through the handle. Pick the easiest way to achieve this and you're golden. Do you know what kind of maple it is?

[upstatenybowyer]

WNY is gettin it for sure Ben. We're on an overnight vacation near Cortland right now and the wind is tearin' it up right now.  My wife just checked and saw that our house back in Rochester lost power. Hope it's back on when we get back tomorrow.

Best of luck with that bow. Keep us posted! 

[Ben.Kellerman]

Thanks folks.  Really appreciate all the guidance I get on here.
Springbuck, you make fixing then bends sound so easy!  Do I have to heat or steam while doing all that clamping and shimming??

DC, It's sugar maple.  Not sure if there are different varieties,  but it's not box elder(had one of those come crashing down in my yard 2 weeks ago that I was hoping to be make bows out of but the folks on here advised me that it was basically firewood from the seed).

[Springbuck]

  Unless the bends are ridiculous, clamp it cold and heat it section by section over the stove.   Five minutes or so each spot should get it golden brown on the belly.   If not, raise the temps, or move the bow a half inch closer for the next section.  Golden on the belly, but not cooked through to the back is perfect.   Then, let it cool COMPLETELY, adjust your clamps, and hit any spots you missed. 

This is the most primitive and available method of heat treating for guys without a heat gun or whatever else.

By shims I mean just little splints of wood between the clamps and the bow to prevent dings and dents.