Best way to recurve (an unofficial poll)Picture added.

[b.glass]

Heat gun, boil, or steam?

I plan to heat treat an osage longbow I just tillered that is about ten lbs under weight for what I wanted.

It has 1 1/4 in. set in the lower limb and 1 3/4 in. set in the upper limb.

I thought I would impart some reflex while heat treating and possibly recurve the tips a bit.

Bona

[Dano]

Heat gun all the way. Toast them limbs, it might help a little, you won't get 10 pounds back maybe 4 or 5.

[Jesse Peltan]

I second the heat gun, but instead of recurving the tips I would make a simple r/d form. You need two sections of a 2by3 (about 3in long), 3 clamps, and a heat gun. Place the 2by 3 sections on a table or board with the 1.5in part touching the table or board. Then measure the length of the limbs(not riser or fades just limbs) and mark 1/3 to halfway from the fade to tip. Move your blocks so that the middle of the block is on the mark. Now heat the bow and clamp down the riser first. Clamp until it's 1-1.5in from the table. Then clamp the limbs down to the table. Heat the bow again and let cool. Repeat this process 2-3 times and once the bow is cool it should have a nice reflex deflex shape. If you choose to use this method and have any more questions please pm me.

[b.glass]

Well I decided not to recurve this bow but went with just the reflex instead. I used the method used by Marc St. Louis in the TBB IV.

Dano, I thought you would say steam since that's what you used on one of your last bows to recurve the tips.

Jesse, how much weight do you think I might have gotten back by deflexing also?

Yes I roasted a bow tonight. Smells good! Bet it doesn't taste as good as it smells!

Bona

[Jesse Peltan]

The deflex in the riser doesn't set in as well as the reflex in the outer limbs. When you clamp the riser you'll notice that the limbs move upward. Then when you clamp them down you are moving them more so when you unclamp the riser you'll have more net reflex with a little deflex. It's all about the net reflex, even if the riser took all the set you would have 1.5in net reflex. When I did this method I got like 15# more weight(some was from heat treating when the bow was in the form).

[Pat B]

I agree with the dry heat method also and especially for seasoned wood(osage). I also agree with only reflexing the bow. R/D bows are tillered differently and at this point I believe that would be detrimental to this bow. By adding reflex and toasting the bows belly you will increase the weight a little(like Dano said) but it shouldn't over stress the already tillered bow. You may have to adjust the tiller some when done.  What length is your bow. Would piking be an option. You could possibly increase the weight by 5# per inch but be aware that no matter which way you go, you are adding more stress to an already stressed bow.
  Looking forward to seeing your results and conclusions, Bona.  Marc did a lot of R&D with the tempering process and with positive results. You picked a good teacher to follow.

[Pat B]

I agree with the dry heat method also and especially for seasoned wood(osage). I also agree with only reflexing the bow. R/D bows are tillered differently and at this point I believe that would be detrimental to this bow. By adding reflex and toasting the bows belly you will increase the weight a little(like Dano said) but it shouldn't over stress the already tillered bow. You may have to adjust the tiller some when done.  What length is your bow. Would piking be an option. You could possibly increase the weight by 5# per inch but be aware that no matter which way you go, you are adding more stress to an already stressed bow.
  Looking forward to seeing your results and conclusions, Bona.  Marc did a lot of R&D with the tempering process and with positive results. You picked a good teacher to follow.

[Dano]

Bona, I used steam on that last bow to correct a problem limb, most of the time I use dry heat. Marc's chapter in TBB IV was great, I wish  he would post here and share the wealth of knowledge he has.

[ChristopherO]

I,too, have found on osage that dry heat is the berries.  But, another thing I've found is that, like you, I have a tendency to whittle too much and then try to pump up the draw weight by toasting and reflexing.  On two bows, make that three if the hickory bow is included, the heat gun can cause a false sense of power.  As Pat said above, underweight limbs will be an over stressed limb when artifical strength (toasting, etc..) is forced upon them.  They may come out of the form shooting like a house of fire but the inability of the limb to handle the strain will eventually make itself known.  
That said, I strongly believe that heating, toasting and reflexing are great tools for the wood bower but they need to be planned on from the beginning as an intregal part of the build to get their best qualities to shine.  Using them to make a mediocre weight bow pull higher is a short term patch from my experience.
My $.02.

[b.glass]

Thanks guys. I will post pics of this bow eventually. Is a day of rehydration enough at
60-65% humidity?

[Dano]

I'd give it a few days Bona.

Chris, working with wood has taught me to plan well, measure twice, and use all the tricks in the book to get a project done right. Not so sure toasting is a short term patch, time will tell I guess. I respect your 2 cents, and that's my $.02.   :D

[b.glass]

Chris, I hear what your saying about the false sense of power. I used the heat gun on another bow I'm working on. It was pretty much a scrap piece but I saw potential in it and was trying to make a Cherokee style bow. It has really nice growth rings but one tip has an obrupt twist in the last 1 1/2 in. or so and the other limb wasn't in alignment. Well I cracked the twisted part so I have to cut it off making the bow about 2" shorter. No problem. I realigned the other limb and reflexed both limbs (one already had some natural relex).

Weeellll...I think the power went to my head. If this bow survives the humungus reflex I put in it I will be amazed.    

Bona

[b.glass]

Hey guys. I'd like to bend your ear for a minute.

I would like to be a part time bowyer and work my "other" job part time. But I have so much to learn.

I'm feeling a little discouraged.

I think I'll go squirel hunting.    

Bona

[ChristopherO]

Dano,
I may have crowded my words up there.  What I meant to say was I believe in using those techniques but when I try to use them as a crutch on a bow I didn't plan well enough and measure twice on, instead of intregrating them in a knowledgeable method, as you do, the outcome leaves me wanting.  

Mona, that's right, you Hoosiers get to chase the tree rats earlier than us Buckeyes.  At least the weather is pleasant for a walk in the woods!
I know what you mean about the bow making and being discouraged.  These all wood leafsprings can be quite persnikery.  Then I see another tree that needs a drawknife taken to it.....

[Dano]

Mona, don't get discouraged, we all have a lot to learn when it comes to building a wooden bow, it's a never ending journey. Have fun with it, don't take it so serious.

[b.glass]

I'm back and I feel alot better. Thanks for letting me vent and be a little down for a minute. There's a little more to it.

I'm involved with a pow-wow that is going to be Sept. 17-20th. I'm going to demostrated longbow shooting and I will have a booth to sell my wares. I don't have much done. I getting nervous.

I'm trying to be careful about posting pictures of the bows I plan to sell because I'm not a sponsor yet. I hope to take care of that after the event.

Bona

[Dano]

I get nervous every time I set out to build a bow for someone, I think it's pretty normal, pretty much why I won't build em to sell. Good luck to you.

[b.glass]

I don't mind selling an already made bow. But I don't like making a bow to order.

Thanks for the encouragement!

I'll let you all know how it goes.

[Pat B]

Bona, I'm like you. I make bows and if someone wants to buy one I will sell it to them...but I won't custom make a bow for folks. I hate deadlines because they cause me problems. I can't sell someone a bow I don't trust. The problem with this sales strategy is you have to have lots of bows for them to choose from or be one hell of a salesperson!

[b.glass]

 Thanks Pat. That's part of my frustration right now. I don't have enough bows for people to look at yet. I don't know quite what to expect but this is suppose to be a pretty big event. I've spent so much time on preparing a demonstration that I haven't had time to make the bows.

I quess putting on a good demo was my priority, that's not a bad thing. If they have me back next year I'll have the demo part worked out and more bows etc. to show.

I have arranged a bison 3-D for the long range shooting. A target thrower for aerials and rabbit type shots and two 3-D's on wheels, a bear and a deer.