Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: skyarrow on July 26, 2011, 06:51:22 pm

Title: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: skyarrow on July 26, 2011, 06:51:22 pm

Well the name says it all I'm in this read oak challenge and iv never heat shaped a bow before so I figured I'd try it with the red oak bow  im making

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: Josh on July 26, 2011, 07:06:41 pm

I had good luck with steam had more failures than successes with the heat gun.   Either way you go good luck!   :)

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: skyarrow on July 26, 2011, 07:32:06 pm

What do you use to concentrate the steam

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: Josh on July 26, 2011, 10:26:57 pm

big pot and aluminum foil.  Here's a pic I drew.  Don't let the bow rest on the rim of the pot.

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: skyarrow on July 26, 2011, 11:50:32 pm

Nice pic I like it ok now how long do you let it steam before you clamp it

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: Josh on July 27, 2011, 09:01:29 pm

30-45 minutes if already at floor tillered stage. Probably longer if it is still full thickness... I usually set everything up and bring it to a boil with the bow limb already over the steam... Kinda ease it into getting steamed. I think this is better for it.

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: skyarrow on July 28, 2011, 12:13:31 pm

Cool thanx josh  ;)

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: Matt S. on July 28, 2011, 01:06:30 pm

Quote from: Josh on July 27, 2011, 09:01:29 pm

30-45 minutes if already at floor tillered stage. Probably longer if it is still full thickness... I usually set everything up and bring it to a boil with the bow limb already over the steam... Kinda ease it into getting steamed. I think this is better for it.

Josh, you made a really nice recurved red oak bow a few months ago. How did you get such dramatic bends for the recurves? Did you do each bend all at once or did it take multiple heat/bend cycles? So far I've only managed about 2" of recurve without breaking.

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: Lee Slikkers on July 28, 2011, 01:42:30 pm

What about leaving the tip in a large pot of boiling water for 30+ minutes...heard that boiling works as well or better than steaming?

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: Stingray45 on July 28, 2011, 02:21:58 pm

I've read the same thing. Just picked up the last two TBB books and in volume III they talk about boiling. I'm thinking of trying it on my red oak board bow for the cookoff. I have a huge pot I got at Sam's club I should be able to get the last 1/3 of the limb in, probably gonna boil it outside on my gril side burner.

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: blackhawk on July 28, 2011, 02:28:08 pm

Barry....careful if you try to recurve yours,as I see yours is pretty much at final dimension. If you lift a splinter you wont be happy and then you'll have to sand it out and put a thin underlay on it.
your call tho  ;)

Title: Re: How do i heat bend red oak properly
Post by: Josh on July 29, 2011, 01:19:54 am

steam gets hotter than boiling water that's why I chose to steam mine.  One of the TBB's has a pic of a jig you can submerge with the limb into the boiling water and tighten it a little at a time.  If I was going to boil one that is the way I would do it.    The last Red Oak I did I did it just like in my picture above for around 45 minutes and then QUICKLY put it on my form and bent it all at once.  I actually cut it in half at the handle so I could have both limbs over the pot at the same time, LOL.  Call me impatient.  ;D ;D