Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DC on September 20, 2017, 09:04:16 pm

Title: Heat treating BL
Post by: DC on September 20, 2017, 09:04:16 pm
I'm heat treating a Black Locust bow and it's different from any wood I've done. It's turning purple(a rather nice purple) and it's darkening a lot sooner than other wood. Normally the color starts to change at about 400 degrees but this turns purple at about 350. Is that hot enough to do the job or should I be making it darker? I read somewhere that there is a thin line between dark and scorched with Locust.
Title: Re: Heat treating BL
Post by: ---GUTSHOT---> on September 20, 2017, 10:23:57 pm
I heat treat BL very, very slow. It takes heat really fast and will crack the wood. I toast mine till the belly has that purple look all the way down it and across it. Good luck they make some fast bows.
Title: Re: Heat treating BL
Post by: DC on September 20, 2017, 10:49:09 pm
How far away do you hold the gun? Do you still use high heat? This is what it looks like. Well, actually it looks purpler than this.
Title: Re: Heat treating BL
Post by: Marc St Louis on September 21, 2017, 12:19:47 pm
I've heat-treated many BL bows and it does quite well with it.  I does turns colour faster and I don't give as much heat as say Elm or HHB.  I use the same method but go by the look of the wood rather than by time, dark is OK, black is not.
Title: Re: Heat treating BL
Post by: DC on September 21, 2017, 01:42:54 pm
OK, thanks
Title: Re: Heat treating BL
Post by: simson on September 21, 2017, 02:25:18 pm
Had it also DC, when you put on finish the color turns into brown.