After chasing a ring and reducing this stave to something that looks like a bow it needed some straightening.
I don't have a heat gun and buying Christmas presents right now is expensive so I decided to give a hairdryer and some tin foil a try.
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee391/rjwalton8/20131220_170032.jpg) (http://s1225.photobucket.com/user/rjwalton8/media/20131220_170032.jpg.html)
I still have a long way to go but I think it worked pretty well.
Before
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee391/rjwalton8/20131219_205914.jpg) (http://s1225.photobucket.com/user/rjwalton8/media/20131219_205914.jpg.html)
and after
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee391/rjwalton8/20131220_180708.jpg) (http://s1225.photobucket.com/user/rjwalton8/media/20131220_180708.jpg.html)
looks good...can you splain the process you used?
One limb needed that hinge looking area moved a bunch and the other was twisted starting about mid limb.
I surrounded the area that needed to move with the foil and let the hair dryer blow in there til the wood was hot to the touch. I then slowly clamped in the direction I needed to go with the hair dryer still going. I then let everything cool and unclamped.
For the twist I did the same but added a leather covered block on one side of the limb and heated a larger area. Both areas I went past what I needed anticipating a little bend loss.
The hair dryer was actually kind of nice. I could leave it heating without scorching the wood and it makes you go slow.
Rob
Color me surprised. Way to go!
Love it. Good job Rob! Looking forward to seeing the finished product