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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Ian johnson on October 13, 2007, 11:26:00 PM

Title: how to apply heat to stave?
Post by: Ian johnson on October 13, 2007, 11:26:00 PM

this sounds like a stupid question, but how should I apply heat to my osage stave?

Title: Re: how to apply heat to stave?
Post by: Walt Francis on October 14, 2007, 01:56:00 AM

I have used steam, a heat gun, hair dryer, and a microwave oven  :bigsmyl:  , they all worked fine.  Only used steam with a green stave though, I learned the hard way (I'm a slow learner at times).  The up side of using steam on a seasoned/dry stave is I learned how to use rawhide to back bows.

Title: Re: how to apply heat to stave?
Post by: Eric Krewson on October 14, 2007, 09:23:00 AM

Any cheap paint stripping heat gun will work fine. I use a piece of aluminum angle as a reflecter to transfer the heat all the way around a stave. This cuts the heating time in half.

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/staveheating.jpg)

Title: Re: how to apply heat to stave?
Post by: Ian johnson on October 14, 2007, 03:19:00 PM

I have my stave attatched to a board right now with c clamps, I have been applying heat and then tightening the clamps, cant tell if it going to work so far

Title: Re: how to apply heat to stave?
Post by: Osagetree on October 14, 2007, 05:26:00 PM

Hey Eric,,, ever get burned on that angle?   :eek:

Title: Re: how to apply heat to stave?
Post by: Eric Krewson on October 14, 2007, 06:16:00 PM

Yep, when I knock it off the work bench and absent mindedly reach down to catch it.