I got an osage stick I'm working on and got it tillered to 50# at 26". The upper limb is a little stiff so I will work the top limb to get to desired weight.
Anyway the lower limb has a little more prop twist in it than I would like in the finished bow. It has a couple stiff spots in it as well but not bad at all and I won't go after those until I get the top limb bending where I want it.
At this point should I use steam or dry heat to get the twist out?
And if I heat treat the entire belly of the bottom limb at this point will it stiffen it some?
I will post some pics laterin a different thread.
Thanks Stiks
Stiks, I would use dry heat with a little oil. I think it would stiffen the limb some but it will not correct bad tillering.
I haven't run into any bad tillering yet. LOL Thank God I would like to see this one make a good shooter.
My main concern is the prop twist. I think it will make a bow with the amount of twist that it has but I would still like to get some of it out.
Stiks
Pat B repeats the following often, and it is great advice to be heeded:
Seasoned/Dry Wood: Use dry heat
Green/Wet Wood: Use steam
Stiks, I wasn't implying you had some bad tillering. Just that heat treating will not fix anything other than add weight.
Ranger, I didn't think you was implying bad tillering. If my previous post sounded that way I apoligize. I was just saying so far it's good. But anything can happen. We'll keep our fingers crossed.
I do appreciate your advice. I'm gonna do dry heat to get the twist out.
Do I need to heat treat the belly after final tiller or just before?
Stiks
Check out my build along for the bow trade. All dry heat with a little oil. You will note that the finished product still has a bit of prop twist and it shoots fine.
You can temper the belly with dry heat and no oil and remove the twist all at once. Add a little back set too. Using wood wedges as you clamp the bow to the form while heating it will accomplish this.