Heat correcting linen backed osage bow

[RAU]

I'm in process of building osage bow that has a real slight back violation around pin not I scalped. I've never done this before but I plan on backing with linen and smooth on since I have the smooth on on hand. Anybody use linen and smooth on? Anyway my question is if I need to do any heat gun, alignment corrections when tillering  will the smooth on hold up to this heat? Thanks in advance

[takefive]

I haven't done it myself, but I think Bowjunkie posted that he's done heat corrections on wood lam bows that he glued up with Smooth On.  I just reworked an elm bow that I backed with cherry bark, but I glued the bark on with Titebond 3.  I heated in some reflex and flipped the tips with no ill effects to the glue bond.  I was really careful with the heat gun, though.

[Eric Krewson]

I have made a bunch of bows that had a slight grain violation around a pin, never had one fail.

Unless you really gouged out a place near a pin I don't think you will have a problem. Put a little superglue on the area and proceed.

Got any pictures of the violated pin?

[John Scifres]

Heat correct before you back.

[LittleBen]

Originally posted by John Scifres:
Heat correct before you back.

Generally agree. I have done some minor heat correction on bows glued with smooth on, and maybe even once or twice bows glued with TBIII, but when you heat a glued bow you're operating way out in the weeds and no one can save you.

It's the sort of thing where if you have to ask you shouldn't do it. You've got to already be crazy and dead set on it.

I would thoroughly recommend against any heat correction on any glued bow unless your only other choice is the burn barrel, cause that's probably where it's headed when you get the heat gun out.

Take Eric's advice .... Got a pic of the pin knot? I bet the old sages of osage will be able to tell you right away if it's ok .... Plus you can always leave that spot a little stiff for insurance.