straightening laburnum

[simk]

Hi Folks

I have here that little laburnum that want's to become a bendy but needs some straightening therefore...(sidewards...)

I thought about trying this steam bending method:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRFdDWP_h1c

Better ideas?

Thanx for your advice!

Cheers

[DC]

His steamer is good but I would prefer a clamp to hold the wood in the new position. His method also steams the whole stick but usually you can get away with spot steaming with a bow. Like just heat the handle and then bend it until the handle and tips are in line. Well, a little past because there will be some spring back.

[simk]

Thanks to Vancouver Island!

As both tips are badly off to the same side

Like just heat the handle and then bend it until the handle and tips are in line

will not work or leave an unsatisfying result optically (for me).

I really need to get those tips straightend and then maybe do another slight bend with heat in the handle.

The shown method - handish stratightening in between a fitting slot -  to me looks really tempting. I think it's maybe better than a caul or clamps. I have also seen a similar method to straighten arrow shafts but I'm not sure if it works for my piece of wood without risking to damage/brake it. Sure needs long steaming...

Have a nice day!

[DC]

You can try it but I just feel it won't hold. It would be an immediate result, it would stay or not. Yes it works for arrows and walking sticks but bows are much thicker wood. I've never tried it myself, just going with the gut.   You have to build a jig one way or the other, might as well make one that will hold it.

[simk]

Thanx again. Better chances if I clamp and set it with heat after steamin? How would you correct that?

[DC]

Here is a couple of pictures of my jig. I just set up a stave for the picture. Just steam the part you want to bend, an hour an inch thick, and clamp it up. Heat treating always helps. One thing to remember if you plan on recurves it's best to do it all at once. If you try to recurve this section later the kink will come back. This is your chance to see how innovative you can be. You can't have too many clamps or too much imagination trying to bend these things two directions at once.

PS put protecting pieces of wood between the clamp and the stave.