All this AC/DC electrical heated stuff is why I will stick to open top forms with bicycle innertube bands and ambient heat. All that other stuff is just too much to muck about with, just to force epoxy to set in something less than a day. I've got other, better things to spend my money and time on.
You certainly don't need all that crud to build your first -- or your 50th bow.
Hey Ken,
You are absolutely right…. There is no “Need” about it. You can certainly build bows with the inner tube clamping system and wrestle that 60 pound form into a hot box. Or…. You could just let the epoxy cure at room temperature too if you want…. To each , his own….
But once you start doing this professionally, consistently is critical. When using heat strips, you can control the exact amount of heat, (or real close) every time and instead of taking two days to build a set of limbs, it takes two hours and you are saving time and money. The air hose clamping system with consistent heat also helps you hit your draw weights more accurately.
Most guys start out with a basic Binghams projects hot box and cook their bows or limbs with light bulbs. It works just fine too…. But the thing a lot of guys don’t think about is they are cooking their forms too…. Over and over again, this takes a toll on forms. The full length 6’ forms begin to twist after while with all that heating and cooling off action….
With heat strips you put your form in a vise and it stays there until you are done with it. It’s really nice actually…..Then again…. I build a lot of bows each year, so these things are more important to me than a guy building just a few here and there.
Kirk
Topic: First time build. (Read 6772 times)
