HEAT STRIPS...

[Cambow]

I am just returning to bow building after 14 years. I still h ave my oven and have always used it for heat-curing. I have heard that many bowyers have converted to heat strips over the last few years. Any thought on this method? Pros...?  Cons...?

I am inclined to stick with my oven... but wanted to get a few opinions first.

Thanks - Cambow

[matts2]

I started using heat strips because I didn't have room to store a heat box and didn't feel comfortable leaving the oven on and possibly unattended for hours.  There is more or a learning curve with the heat strips but that have worked very well for me.  A shoe box is easier to store than a coffin.

[Cambow]

LOL... yeah... that's exactly what my wife call my oven.. "The Coffin"

Do the heat strips stay nice and smooth or do they start to get uneven or lumpy? I am worried about them leaving a faint impression on the flat surfaces of the glass. It seems to me that ANY slight imperfection shows up in your limb. Do you have an idea of how many bowyers use heat strips vs. ovens now days?

Where is a good place to buy the heat strip set up...? Are they expensive?

[matts2]

You don't put the heat strips right against the glass.  Use something in between like aluminum or something.  Give Kirk a shout at  http://bigfootbows.com.   He is a sponsor and a regular here.  He sells them and will walk you threw using them.

[Dick in Seattle]

Kirk is a great advocate of the strips and can give you advice about them.   I have them and tried them but did not care for them.   They are usually used in conjunction with the air pressure system.  I did not like that at all, very large and unwieldy.  I should note that I build longbows and so was working with a full length setup.

Like you, I had already built an oven and had plenty of clamps.  I try to build very vintage glass longbows and have a mental problem in feeling that these bows should be, in addition to looking and shooting like period bows, built in the manner those bows were built.   (Yeah, most folks think I'm nuts!)

However, I like my clamps and I like my oven.  I've found it's not necessary to cook as long as I used to.   Three hours isn't that much longer than the hour plus you end up with on the strips, and I'm in no hurry.  

I have been told you can use the strips with clamps and plan to try that, too.

I recently modified my oven to front opening and installed it at bench level, which is nice.   See:  

 http://www.dickwightman.com/archeryactivity/bowbuilding/glue%20room/glueroom.html

[Cambow]

Thanks for the good info Dick... I am so jealous of your shop. What a great set-up!

I am just putting mine back together I used to build bows back in the early to mid 90's and am so excited to start again. I too use clamps... I would love to see a picture of your glue-up since you use clamps. I am somewhat self-taught and haven't seen anyone else's clamping methods.

I bought all of the hardware etc. to do the hose method... but I feel like there is no control and lams would be sliding everywhere so I never even used them.

Thanks again,

[Dick in Seattle]

Cambow...   I gave a link to the new glue room setup, but if you just go to my main site page:    www.dickwightman.com    and click on Traditional Archery Activities, you will find a full (very full!) page of links to both earlier and more recent bow build alongs, a variety of related build alongs such as forms, original oven, take down bows, plus a link to my whole shop and tools.   You'll probably enjoy going through it all, but keep the coffee pot going... it'll take days!    

If you have questions or want to chat, feel free to email me:  [email protected]

[Cambow]

Thanks Dick... I absolutely LOVE your site! Lots of good info there... I wish there were more guys like you in the world... I'm glad to have met you, even if it was online...

[Lee Robinson .]

I have been advised that the heat strips are the "way to go" and that they don't alter the bow's form at all...HOWEVER...that said, I use a heat box. Here is why...

My understanding is heat strips have to run on both sides of the bow in order to "properly" heat treat both sides of the riser. While the limbs are thin enough that one strip MIGHT heat up the laminations all the way through, it will not heat up through the riser...and therefore one has to use heat strips on both sides.

One time I glued up a bow and a TINY piece of dust (gnat turd tiny) apparently got on my form after I pre-cleaned it but before I laid my stack on it. After glue up, I could see this super tiny dust particle impression in the glass. Did it matter, no...but I don't like that type of stuff. I spent a TON of time working on my form to very carefully building in the amount of accuracy I wanted in it. Once I finished that, the last thing I want to do is throw a heat strip on it and then a piece of rubber or aluminum on top of that which may or may not maintain micrometer accuracy.

Is my concern justifiable? Perhaps not, many bowyers use heat strips and do so with excellent results...but with the old saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it" I really see nothing wrong with the hot box other than it requiring more patience. I can live with waiting 6-8 hours of cooking time...and then another hour of cool down time. Does it limit my rate of production? I don't really think so. I can have one cooking overnight while I sleep, or while I am working on another bow.

[Cambow]

Lee,

You are reading my mind...

I tend to feel the same way. I don't the curing time at all. My only interest was due to saving the space that my oven takes up.

I think I will stick with what I've got  

[Dick in Seattle]

I've seen several quite clever fold up ovens made with the blue insulating foam and duct tape for hinges.   Takes a little thinking and planning (and some drawing, maybe), but basically you can make the top (with a wood strip to hold the bulbs) and bottom removable and if you make the ends each in two pieces and apply the tape right, you can push the ends in and the sides go flat against them, like folding up a cardboard box.  Remove the bulbs and put the bottom and top pieces on the pile, strap it together and it weighs very little and can be stored on end in very little space.   Like I said, I haven't done it, but I've seen it pictured and it appears to work quite well.

Seen pix of an oven made with pvc tubing, too.  Just a frame with the light board across the top, set it on the floor, cover with a fitted cover of foil/bubble insulation, cook the bow, fold the insulation back up, knock down the frame and again, small storage space required.

[Lee Robinson .]

Why not put an oven under a work table? That's what I did.