Stain before heat treatment?

[Thwackaddict]

If im going to stain my bow should i do it before heat treating it or after.i was thinking stain wouldnt set well with tung oil already on the bow.

[macbow]

I'll assume your talking about heat treating the belly.
I don't have an answer except to grab a piece of scrap wood stain it and then heat and see what happens.
Report any finding .
Ron

[Pat B]

You should stain it afterward. For heat treating the belly you do it dry and not with oil. The oil protects the wood from scorching when bending wood with heat.

[Thwackaddict]

I am goin to try to induce some reflex while heating it.Any pointers?This is my first build and the first selfbow i have ever seen let alone made.I will post some pics tommorow for you guys.Thanks for the tips!!keep em comin

[Pat B]

What wood are you using?

[Thwackaddict]

Slippery Elm.62in ntn  I am goin to try and heat treat it tommorow.

[Pat B]

With osage, dry heat works well for bending and shaping. With some whitewoods steam or boiling works better. I have never worked with slippery elm so I don't know what would woul best.
 If you are just adding R/D you should be able to clamp it to a form while you are heating each limb, a little at a time, starting at the fades and working out towards the tips. After it is clamped in the form reheat the wood until it begins to turn color and work out each limb. After you have completed the last heating allow it to cool slowly and also give it a few days to rehydrate before stressing it. This is how I would do it. Whether it will work or not I don't know.
 If you have TBBIV, check out Marc St Louis' chapter on "heat treating". Marc uses a lot of elm for bows.

[John Scifres]

I have heat treated elm.  It works well.  Build a caul or form in the shape you would like your bow.  A 2x6 works great for this.  If you add about 10% more shape than you want in your final bow, it will accomodate for the normal springback and set that occurs after heat treating and you will end up with something closer to your final goal.

Clamp the bow at the center and then start heating with a heat gun the first 4" or so.  Go slow at first and then progressively get it hotter and hotter until it starts turning light and then darker brown. Apply a clamp at the end of the heated portion.  Cushion the bow limb where the clamp hits it or it will dent the crap out of the hot limb.  As you toast the belly, tighten the clamp until it hits the caul.  Then move on to the next 4" or so.  Each 4" should take 10 minutes or more.  It's a long process to do it right.  Have a beverage and mood music handy.  Become one with the bow and the heatgun  

[John Scifres]

Oh yeah.  Don't do any finish before you heat treat.  You'll likely burn it off.

[Thwackaddict]

I dont have a heat gun so i will be using fire.John thanks for the tip on cushioning the clamp,and Pat thanks Youve been a great help.

[John Scifres]

I'd still do a form and do them one limb at a time.  Heat one limb slowly and evenly.  Get it toasty brown but do it slowly.  Do only the belly!  Is the wood dry?  If not, you might want to get it into bow dimensions and let it rest in the sunshine a few days before heating it. Then do it a little bit each day for several days before you try to heat treat it.  This will dry it out.  Heat treating wet wood is usually counterproductive.

Good luck.  Post pics.

[Thwackaddict]

Will try to post pics tommorow night.Just finished heat treating.I made a form and it worked well.My stave seasoned for 12 mo. and i got it about a month ago so it is good and dry.Thanks John.How long should I wait to brace it?