Dry heat or steam ?

[Stiks-n-Strings]

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

[ranger 3]

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.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

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

[4est trekker]

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

[ranger 3]

Stiks, I wasn't implying you had some bad tillering. Just that heat treating will not fix anything other than add weight.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

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

[Pat B]

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.