Hey
I've had this stave in the basement a long time cause I don't know how to ge the string to the center.
I tried heating the limbs and twisting them more than once with no luck.
Any suggestions before it becomes a fish beater!! [/IMG]  [/IMG]  [/IMG]

ok that didn't work

Images too large.  Put address between the two bracketed IMG after resizing.

Just copy and past them into a web address and it pop right up.

I had a perfect looking osage stave that took on more and more of a twist the closer I got to shape.  Until when the stave was nearly down to string ready shape it was almost 90 degrees twisted.  I really want to hear the answer on this, I don't for the life of me, know what I did wrong.

ok one more try

TTT

Here's what I've done, and I've done it with wood about as twisted as that.  Make yourself a caul.  I used a 2 x 10, used an old Bear Cub for a template and cut a curve in the board.  Then, I simply clamp the wood, back side down and heat bend the wood with a heat gun and mineral oil.  Takes a little imagination and some time, but I've always gotten a bow out of it.  You may need to over bend the end farthest in your pics to make this work using other methods, like hanging a weight and heating, prying it using a vise, things like that.  If it's firewood unless you fix it, you've got nothing to lose.  If you want, I'll take some pics and email them to you showing the caul.

Here\\'s how I do it