How dry should a osage blank be before building with it and how dry is too dry. I have a cheap moisture meter and it says my blanks are below 5%. This seems a little low to me. They are near bow dementions and have been standing in the corner of my office since February or so, back and sides sealed. I am ready to start building but I dont want to if they are to dry.
8-12%. 5% is probaly too low.
5% is way to dry for osage. It would be perfect for hickory but most other woods need to be between 9% and 11%.
Are you in the dry part of TX or the humid part?
You should forget about that moisture meter and get yourself a temp/humidity monitor and find out what the R/H is. That will give you a TRUE reading of the moisture content of your wood. Between 40-50% R/H (equals 8-10% MC) is good for about any type wood.
Another thing, I would recommend you lay your bow blanks out horizonally for about a week or so and let the M/C equalize from end to end before starting. Standing them on theirs ends for an extended period of time can cause unequal M/C which can cause tiller shift later on.........Art
You hair splitter Artsy!.........thats good info. and something I never thought of, or read about.
I'm near Dallas,TX.
If the wood is to dry how is the best way to properly rehydrate it without going to far.
I will lay them out flat for a week before I start, thanks.
You can go ahead and get your blank shaped up to where it's bending some and then store flat in a enviroment of 40-50% R/H for about a week and from there be good to go.
Pearly, Tim Baker reported 'bout a 1% difference in R/H from end to end by storing bow wood upright. Not much you say! But that's enough to shift a bow's tiller over time by standing/storing bows upright........Art
Was that in the Performance & Design section of the TBBI Art? I have read it ten times over and dont remember him saying that, but then again most of my reading takes place in bed half asleep!
No, that was in a topic discussed over on Paleoplanet some years ago Pearly. He also mentioned that the 47# pecan speed demon listed in the Mojam results (TBB4) developed a tiller shift from being stored upright. Little things add up, this is just one of 'em......Art
Pearls can read? :knothead: :D
My wife helps me with the big words Kelly.....please dont tell anybody.
That's 5% on the surface? It is probably higher inside the stave. Keep testing as you build the bow. I like my osage at 8%. I have one and use it all the time right down to the stave's first stringing. Jawge
Trout, have you checked any other wood with the meter? Can you verify that it is correct on the reading? Like a scale, tare, quality check!
I don't trust any equip. man has made to be true! :D
I do not have a known controle to test it against but it showes differences in other woods around the house, and a watermelon is off the charts LOL.
George I will start taking some wood off next week and I am sure you will be right that the core is higher.
If you want it to pick up a little moisture, take it outside to a protected area for a while.
Wood inside an air-conditioned house will get down to around 6%.
Best way that I know of to keep and maintain proper moisture content in your wood/finished bows is to get yourself a humidifier and a temp/humidity monitor. A humidifier has it's own monitor but I like to verify that with another one at all times. Keep at least one room between 40-50% R/H and a good finish on your bows to maintain that level........Art