Without a moisture meter, how do you know how long to leave the stave in to bring it down to your target level?
If you have a postal scale you can measure the weight loss over a period of time. When your stave's weight loss stabilizes for a 3 day period, your stave should be fine for bow building. Reducing your stave to almost bow size will allow it to dry quicker and give you a more accurate weight reading.
Pat's method is good. I like to use temp and RH (relative humidity)to calculate moisture content. You can get a good temp/RH meter at the hardware store and use this calculator, http://www.woodbin.com/ref/wood/emc.htm
It takes about the same time to bring down the MC, as Pat said.
Thanks, Pat. Sounds like a good way to go. Is .1 oz accuracy enough?
Dano, the temp/RH meter is used to measure the temp and RH inside the hot box?
Mace, I've never used the method so I don't know what values to use. I go by sound and feel. After many years of building wood bows, that works for me.
Yep, you'll be surprised at the difference between inside and out.
Thanks, Dano.
Sounds like the way to go, if the temp/RH meter is not too pricey.
Would something like this work
http://cgi.****.com/LCD-Thermometer-Hygrometer-Temperature-Humidity-Meter_W0QQitemZ270364588059QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Gadgets?hash=item270364588059&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177
That link didn't work for me, they are pretty cheap as I recall, Here are a couple that Ace sells.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1279391&cp=&sr=1&kw=thermometer&origkw=thermometer&pg=6&parentPage=search&searchId=36772411603
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3203794&cp=&sr=1&kw=thermometer&origkw=thermometer&pg=8&parentPage=search&searchId=36772369013
Pat B is correct....wood drys from the center out..that's why it splits...by roughing the bow
shape out first removes most of the surface wood and leaving ur TIPs full width...will dry quicker and u have a better chance of no splitting.
P.S.. Pat B is also right.....wood weight is the
ONLY way to tell how much moisture has been
removed...u must not have less than 9% or 10% moisture...Bowyers Bible Vol 1.....