Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Hickoryswitch on March 06, 2009, 08:39:24 pm

Title: How thick is to thick?
Post by: Hickoryswitch on March 06, 2009, 08:39:24 pm

I have an osage stave that has some twist that I wanted to straighten a bit. Most of the twist is right in the handle. How thick of osage can you bend with dry heat? Also this one is gonna be a recurve ,so i'm also wonderin how aggressive I can bend the tips with dry heat?  The limbs are about 1/2" thick and 5/8" wide at the tips for now. I left them wide so I can adjust. Also is 1 5/8" too wide for osage the ring on the back is only 1/16" thick?

Title: Re: How thick is to thick?
Post by: ken bee on March 06, 2009, 10:42:31 pm

id boil it in steam pot it gets softer for proper bendin recurve, about handle i think 30 min per in if i  remember rite im sure you"ll find out here best of luck     :-X     ken

Title: Re: How thick is to thick?
Post by: DanaM on March 07, 2009, 07:22:17 am

I just recurved the tips on a osage about 60 degrees with dry heat, oiled them first. Once their hot enough
osage bends like butter so don't force it, 1/2" at tips is no problem, for the handle I will let someone else answer but if you steam seal the wood with shellac

Title: Re: How thick is to thick?
Post by: PeteC on March 07, 2009, 02:18:08 pm

Hickoryswitch,just take the handle to near bow dimensions and give it a try.I clamp the stave,then use a lever(usually a wood clamp) with a weight,then heat the intended area(which is sealed with shellac) until it bends,or untwists.Be prepared for some checking however,but you can fill up cracks with glue.Just as the others said,make sure you've got it hot enough.(both handle and tips). God Bless

Title: Re: How thick is to thick?
Post by: Eric Krewson on March 08, 2009, 11:52:25 am

I glued some splices together the other day, to my dismay I found I had propellered the splice pretty badly when I took off the clamps.

I worked the handle down to finished dimensions, clamped one fade out in my vise, put a piece of leather around the other fade an attached a pipe wrench over the leather. I heated the heck out of the spliced area(Urac 185 for glue) , hung a 5 gallon bucket off the pipe wrench and put 50# of lead shot in the bucket. The propellor twisted right out.

I would add the shot bags to the bucket, check the correction and remove the bags and put them back in the bucket if I didn't have enough. When I was satisfied with the correction I removed the bags and let the handle cool. The handle corrected so easily I didn't want to over do it by leaving the weight on while the handle cooled down.