Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Aries on April 13, 2010, 10:55:27 pm
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Here is a pick of a bow limb i was heat treating, Im pretty sure i ruined it, but was hoping i could salvage the limb by sanding off the damaged area. I left this section of the limb unattended for 5 minutes while it cooked under the heat gun suspended 5" away. the limb thickness is just over 1/4 in at the area of the damage. it appears that bubbles formed on the back of the pow and subsequently "popped". I had plans on bamboo backing this after completing the heat treating process. Here is the pick.
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the damage is nine inches from the tip on the back of the bow
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It looks to me like you heated to fast while it was too moist. That's the only time I have ever had that happen anyway. I think it will be ok if you sand it down and back it though.
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Did the heat from the gun wrap around the stave to scorch the back or were you heating the back?
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Pat the heat wrapped around i presume, i was heating the limb only from the belly side.
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You didn't ruin it. I'd say the biggest problem you'll have now is that when you begin to tiller the bow, you'll find that spot to be stiffer than the rest of the bow. And you'll have to either make it thinner in that spot (which I wouldn't recommend) or heat treat the other limb the same way to make it symmetrical, and possibly all working parts of the bow. That looks like osage to me, and it's not finished yet, so I think you can still finish it and back it, no problem.