Combine the warm water and yeast in the bowl of an electric stand mixer or standard mixing bowl; let stand for about 5 minutes
Add about half of the bread flour to the yeast mixture and mix with the dough hook attachment for about 2 minutes, until smooth
Add the remaining flour and the salt. Mix on low speed until it comes together in a dough. Do not let the mixer go to town kneading the dough ... it will ruin it
Oil a large bowl with vegetable oil
With floured hands, gather the kneaded dough up into a ball. Place in the oiled bowl; turn over to oil all sides. cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place for 1 hour (or until doubled in size)
Take the dough out of the bowl, fold it over on itself a few times, then put back in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place for another 30 minutes
Cut the dough into 3 equal portions. With each form a very rough sausage shape, and then by folding the dough into the middle along the long edge ... form a baguette of the length you want. Put the three into a baguette pan.
Cover with a clean tea towel and let the loaves just sit there until they've doubled in volume, which will take 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen
When the loaves have doubled in volume, brush them with water and use a razor, or a very sharp knife, to make one long slash down the length of the loaves, or a series of diagonal slashes