Dry heat bending

[blackriverbower]

I'm ready to bend some osage into slight recurve(not reflex) When using dry heat do you heat the belly more or the back of the bow. I've tried steaming but had little success this is around my 10th bow

[Dano]

I usually clamp the tip of the bow on my caul, and start heating the belly working slowly so I don't burn the wood too badly and clamping to the caul as I go.

[Pat B]

I use veg oil on the wood first, but other than that I do kinda what Dano does. It not only helps from scorching but I believe it helps distribute the heat evenly and helps to hold the heat. I heat the wood(mostly the belly and sides but some on the back) until gravity begins to pull the wood down then I assist it slowly, adjust any twist while its bending. Then clamp it and give it til tomorrow(at least 5 or 6 hours) to be sure the wood is cool, not only on the surface but down inside where you can't feel it.   Pat

[John Scifres]

For the tips, I like to preheat the whole thing and then clamp it in my form.  The belly gets the brunt of the heating from then on.  I never heat the back of a working area directly.  Heating helps with compression strength but can harm tension strength if overdone, even slightly.  For the tips, where it doesn't bend, that isn't an issue.

[blackriverbower]

I ended up boiling it instead and it worked great now to do the other tip. It's osage core with bocate and Argentine osage for the riser. It will be boo backed and have bocate and osage tips. Should be a beauty.