Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bow101 on January 17, 2015, 11:02:00 pm

Title: Heat bending
Post by: bow101 on January 17, 2015, 11:02:00 pm
Will a small ceramic 1500watt heater get my wood hot enough to bend it.  The lams are about 3/16" thick..?
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: bubby on January 18, 2015, 12:03:18 am
I use a floor heater for taking out twist and for string alignment works great
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: bow101 on January 18, 2015, 12:14:18 am
Right on sounds good....... 8)
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: bow101 on January 19, 2015, 08:34:24 pm
I use a floor heater for taking out twist and for string alignment works great

So I did a trial run it worked sort of I guess,  how long do you apply the heat before bending .....?  I did it for a couple minutes.. ???
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: DC on January 20, 2015, 12:52:42 am
I would think that a small heater(is it radiant or fan forced) would take longer that a couple of minutes. I has to get hot enough so you can't hold your fingers on it for more than a couple of seconds. For bending and untwisting you don't have to have the wood turning brown but it does have to be hot and deeply hot. So move the heater away a bit to let the heat soak in.
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: bubby on January 20, 2015, 01:21:05 am
I set it up with the bow clamped down so that the tip will go down get the heater close and put a c clamp on the limb and weight on the clamp on the side that I want it to move tot then just check on it periodically till it moves the amount I want and turn the heat off and leave it to cool, it will take more than a couple mins, I can do a mock setup tomorrow and take pics if that will help
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: Vgo750 on January 20, 2015, 08:16:59 am
Bubby please do a mock setup and take pics.  Im very interested in this method.
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 20, 2015, 02:53:22 pm
I use a $20 Wagner you cheap skates, that goes double for you bubbly! It'll only get you through about 75-100 bows before you'll need a new one.
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: Joec123able on January 20, 2015, 03:07:54 pm
I use a $20 Wagner you cheap skates, that goes double for you bubbly! It'll only get you through about 75-100 bows before you'll need a new one.

I have a 10 dollar piece of crap heat gun too. It gets the job done.
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: bubby on January 20, 2015, 03:19:02 pm
Now don't be the bad chris, i use my wagner heatgun all the time, but i use the floor heater on things that need to heat a long time to get deep so i can do something else while it heats up, i got it why not use it, plus i read where john strunk has used a floor heater on occasion to heat a bow
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: DC on January 20, 2015, 03:25:26 pm
I've kind of had it in the back of my mind that radiant heat would stop the back of the bow from getting scorched. But with all the excess time it takes you could make a narrower caul. I also use a 420 Wagner. You can reheat coffee with them too.
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: Tree_Ninja on January 20, 2015, 03:48:45 pm
I recently broke the fan in my mastercraft plastic heat gun. I dropped it many times.  I had my shopvac blowing the heat (through the ceramic element) on the stave, but it was a two-handed operation.

I will probably pick up the wagner ht775.

I can see how a long soak on top of a floor heater would prime the wood nicely. I would think a heat gun is required to do real tough bends.  I hope this camping season to try some campfire tempering....
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: bubby on January 20, 2015, 04:56:04 pm
I use the floor heater for tip alignment and removeing twist i heat treat with a gun and steam recurves
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: DC on January 20, 2015, 04:56:51 pm
Don't forget to wipe the marshmallow off when you finish >:D
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: wizardgoat on January 20, 2015, 05:05:40 pm
John strunk used a little space heater, but I think he was just using it to cook in a steam bend and dry it out a bit. He also recurved a yew bow after steaming the tip for all of 5 minutes. My mind was blown
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: huisme on January 20, 2015, 05:21:56 pm
I've done campfire heat treatment more than I've cared for :o ;D Any smoke getting on the wood can be deceptive, making you think you've burned it when it's still getting warm, so go slow and check the temperature of the belly and the back with your fingers. I've done minor bends with an open fire but haven't taken the time to try making an R/D or recurve.
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: Vgo750 on January 20, 2015, 06:16:36 pm
Yea i like the space heater method because i can do something else while the bow is gradually moving itself into alignment...i got 2 kids under 2 years old..i got to use my time as effectively as possible!! :D
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: bubby on January 20, 2015, 07:19:57 pm
here it is nice and simple just put weight in the bucket and I measure the tip to ground and once it moves the amount I want turn off the heater and leave it(http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt320/bubncheryl/Mobile%20Uploads/20150120_145833_zpsag7dxqng.jpg) (http://s623.photobucket.com/user/bubncheryl/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150120_145833_zpsag7dxqng.jpg.html)
(http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt320/bubncheryl/Mobile%20Uploads/20150120_145819_zpszimblfuf.jpg) (http://s623.photobucket.com/user/bubncheryl/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150120_145819_zpszimblfuf.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: duke3192 on January 20, 2015, 09:00:49 pm
Fellows, you wouldn't believe the number of splinters and cracks that I have caused by not paying attention to the process. Best option, go to an auto parts store and buy a cheap lazer thermometer ( about$ 25.00) keep your wood about steam temp. 200-225 works real good, and get a good heat gun, it is well worth the extra $.
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: bubby on January 20, 2015, 09:09:21 pm
I don't just walk away when doing this I've had zero problems useing this setup
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: Badly Bent on January 20, 2015, 10:08:55 pm
I didn't know you owned a horse bub. ;)
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: bow101 on January 20, 2015, 10:32:42 pm
I use a $20 Wagner you cheap skates, that goes double for you bubbly! It'll only get you through about 75-100 bows before you'll need a new one.
The heater really did not do the job so I ran down to Home Depot and picked up a Wagner heat gun.  .......... 8)  gets the job done in a jiffy.
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: Aaron H on January 21, 2015, 11:42:35 am
I didn't know you owned a horse bub. ;)
haha
Title: Re: Heat bending
Post by: bubby on January 21, 2015, 12:22:06 pm
I didn't know you owned a horse bub. ;)


Yup i ride the horse whenever i do mounted archery :laugh: