| There are very few nearly perfect bow staves. | | | | |
| There are more nearly perfect bow staves and | | | | I have found through experimentation that the |
| many many, more that would require the self- | | | | layout of the heating chamber is important. I |
| bowyer to accomplish something in order for | | | | use 6 inch stove pipe and cap the ends. I use |
| them to be considered nearly perfect. | | | | enough lengths of the pipe to accommodate the |
| | | | bow staves I am heating. 74 inches is |
| The cost of the nearly perfect stave is | | | | typical. I support the pipe at a height that |
| higher and the cost of the stave that needs | | | | allows my steam generator to be placed below |
| adjustment is lower because of the need for | | | | the pipe. You can use saw horses or build |
| the bowyer to accomplish this additional | | | | supports if you like. I then insulate the |
| work. And there are other times when the | | | | pipe and I prefer to use the aluminum foil |
| shape of the stave requires adjustment in | | | | backed bubble wrap insulation. Fiberglass |
| order for the wood to meet the bowyers | | | | would also work. |
| vision. For instance the gull wing design of | | | | |
| the Plains Indians of North America or a | | | | I then drill a hole that permits the gas cans |
| simple recurve. | | | | flexible steel nozzle to be inserted into the |
| | | | pipe. I also drill some small holes along the |
| Nature seldom accommodates man so man adjusts | | | | bottom of the horizontal pipe to allow steam |
| nature. In this case man bends wood. He heats | | | | condensate to drain. The steam will cool and |
| the wood and then bends it. Direct | | | | condense into water. Just a little physics |
| application of heat can damage the wood | | | | and that is that water can only be heated to |
| fibers and even lead to scorching or turning | | | | a certain temperature and then it turns to |
| the wood into firewood. The preferred | | | | steam. Steam can be heated to much higher |
| alternative is using steam. | | | | temperature than water and this makes it an |
| | | | ideal medium for transferring heat from the |
| Early bowyers borrowed a technique for heat | | | | fire to the wood of your stave. So you dont |
| treatment from flintknappers. They buried the | | | | want the condensed stem to accumulate in your |
| stave in the earth and lit a fire over it. If | | | | heating chamber as it will restrict how hot |
| you want to try this method I would recommend | | | | your wood can get. Another tip is to place |
| using clean sand to line the burial pit. Dig | | | | small pieces of wood along your pipe to keep |
| the hole deep enough to bury the stave about | | | | your stave out of the condensate or water in |
| 6 to 8 inches below the surface where you are | | | | the bottom of your pipe. |
| going to burn your fire. Then lay in the | | | | |
| stave on a bed of clean sand and soak the pit | | | | Light your fire and heat your wood. Again, |
| with water. Finish filling the pit and again | | | | experience will tell you how long to heat |
| soak the entire pit with water. Then light | | | | your wood before it become flexible enough to |
| your fire. Keep the fire going all day. | | | | bend. Once steam is being generated I usuall |
| Experience will teach how long to burn the | | | | try to heat the wood for an hour or so. |
| fire but it does take a few hours for the | | | | |
| ground to be thoroughly heated. | | | | Once the wood is heated you have very little |
| | | | time before it cools so have your forms |
| When your determined time is finished, | | | | ready. I used to use the fork in a tree and |
| quickly remove the stave and bend it. Have | | | | applied pressure myself to the stave. As I |
| heavy gloves on as the stave will be very hot | | | | gained experience I built wooden forms. I cut |
| and could burn your hands. If it is not hot | | | | these from dimensional lumber in the shape |
| it wont bend. | | | | that I sought. I used a band saw to achieve |
| | | | this shape. Recurves, gull wing designs, |
| Enough for primitive methods. A far easier | | | | reflex-deflex, or easier stave straightening |
| and quicker method is to produce steam and | | | | forms. On sharper recurves or siyahs I would |
| use this to heat your stave. I use a steel | | | | use straps of steel on the outside of the |
| five gallon can, a stove pipe and a propane | | | | curve to help in preventing splintering of |
| crab cooker. | | | | the wood. |
| | | | |
| I use the crab cooker because it can heat the | | | | A rule of thumb to get you started is to bend |
| water quickly and create the steam I need | | | | your woo further than you have targeted by |
| without taking hours to do so. The steel 5 | | | | about fifty percent. For instance if you need |
| gallon gas can with a flexible steel spout | | | | to bend your stave four inches in order to |
| actually increases the pressure on the steam | | | | get it straight, then bend it 6 inches and it |
| as it is generated thus increasing the | | | | should relax to a straight stave when removed |
| temperature of the steam (steam under | | | | from your form. I leave the stave in the form |
| pressure can become very very hot so dont let | | | | over night at least before removing it, and I |
| it get on you)!! The pressure is not that | | | | wait two weeks before trying to tiller. In |
| great and is a consequence of the gas can | | | | all cases experience will be your best |
| opening through the flexible steel sput being | | | | teacher, but you need to try in order to |
| restricted in size. Just add about 4 gallons | | | | learn. A final tip is to bend more than one |
| of water, light the fire and your steam | | | | stave at a time. Better mileage for your |
| generator is ready to produce steam. Now, for | | | | propane when you do so and we know that no |
| the heating chamber. | | | | one can make just one bow. |