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