heat treating

[youngbowyer33]

this sounds like a dumb question, but how do you heat treat? I want to raise the weight of an ash bow, and I am not sure how to do it. I have a heat gun, but do I do it until the wood browns or what? And how far do I hold it from the wood?Thanks in advance

[Kegan]

Depending on the strength of your heat gun,  you slowly hover over your belly with the bow clamped into a little reflex (less and less the more it's already broken in) until the belly turns a dark brown and the back of the ow is too hot to touch. Allow it to remained clamp for a few days to a week to let it settle and for the moisture to come back. The slowly start over from the beginning rebending it. I've heard ash doesn't really do much with heat treating though- but don't quote me

[dragonman]

YB33  can you get hold of the bowyers bible ,vol.4 ( I think), There is a quite detailed explanation of the heat treating process by Marc St Luis. My freind gave an ash bow quite a reflex by heat treating,, which it mostly kept and appeared to work reasonably well, I think he didnt leave it long enough to reabsorb some moisture though and it got some small crysals,
David

[youngbowyer33]

alas, the only one i don't have  Thanks for the info, it all helps