rehydrating wood

Lee Lobbestael · December 31, 2009, 07:24:00 AM

Hey guys! yesterday I used a heat gun to take some of the twist out of the limb of a maple self bow I'm making. I only heated a small spot to accomplish this. Is twenty four hours long enough to wait to begin bending the limb again?

4est trekker · December 31, 2009, 10:34:00 AM

I always wait at least 3-4 days, depending on the relative humidity, regardless of the size of the area. Others may have a more definitive opinion, but I try to play it safe. Be sure to post some pictures!

Lee Lobbestael · December 31, 2009, 11:49:00 AM

Yeah will do! I bought myself a camera for x mas so now I will be able to finally

Hojo · December 31, 2009, 01:03:00 PM

I'd wait at least a week and keep it in a more humid location---such as the bathroom---while waiting. If you can check it with a moisture meter before deciding to bend it, I'd do so. Having one break from being too dry can really make the splinters fly!

4est trekker · December 31, 2009, 01:10:00 PM

Good point I forgot to mention, Hojo. Lee, I keep mine in the bathroom during those 3-4 days during the winter when humidity levels are low. I rotate the bow the bow frequently. In the summer, I let them rehyrdrate in the basement where humidity levels are high. I live in the NE, but I would assume Michigan has the same humidity tendencies per season.

Dano · December 31, 2009, 02:38:00 PM

If you have a hot box, you can add a bucket of water or wet rags to bring the RH up. Out here, I keep a bucket of water in the shop to keep the shop at a decent RH all the time. You can monitor this with a cheap Temp/RH gauge available at the hardware store. Then I use this calculator to find MC after a few days, pretty close.

http://www.woodbin.com/ref/wood/emc.htm

Roy Steele · January 03, 2010, 05:56:00 PM

Either use a hot box for a day or 2 or wait 3 or 4 days.When building selfbows time is on your side.So don't rush.Once your bow gets string follow it can be taken out.

Dano · January 03, 2010, 06:58:00 PM

I think Roy meant string follow can't be taken out. When I lived in Illinois, I used to keep a bow in progress in the hot box, just to maintain decent MC, 90 degs. is all you need if your in a humid environment, less in dryer climates.

George Tsoukalas · January 03, 2010, 08:40:00 PM

Lee, I spend my bowyering life attempting to keep moisture away from my bows. It's dry here in New England in the winter and my bows love it. But to answer your question I wait a day for dry heat and a couple for steam. Jawge