# Slingshot backing!



## belbowman (Feb 2, 2011)

Hello everyone,

Not a newbie to slighsot shooting or making! But...i've never baked a slinghsot. Since the fowl weather started i've started carving some naturals from last year. They're American Oak. That's what we call them. In fact we call them Amerikaanse Eik. Here (Europa-Netherlands/Belgium) they are an invading species. So no forester (most of them) minds it if you trim them... But, and here is where my question comes, the grain of the wood is minimal. It's beautifull whitish wood but almost no grain. No visible grain that is, Now i've heared that backing the wood in the oven can enhance the grain. What i would like to know is how hot and for how long. I've got a really nice shooter in front of me ready for sanding and i hate to destroy it in the oven. Has anyone got some advice?

Thanks

Anthony


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## jazz (May 15, 2012)

Hi belbowman,

I do not remember anyone here discussing accentuating wood grain by baking it in the oven (which does not mean that it never happened, or that it is impossible.)

The use of the oven might be related to wood drying, although microwave oven is better for that.

I did some search through Google and found this thread that might be of some help because it talks about American Oak and bringing out the grain detail:

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-614213.html

Hope this helps,

cheers,

jazz


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