Drying staves

[Steve Milbocker]

I've always heard it is bad to hang selfbows vertical for extended periods of time. So what about drying staves? is it better to lay them horizontal?

[crooketarrow]

   YES I've done is when space was a concertin.

[George Tsoukalas]

The best way is horizontal but I've stored them vertically too. Jawge

[JW_Halverson]

Hanging bows vertically is bad?  I unstring the upper limb and then hang the bow on a peg made from a broken arrow.  For the life of me I can't see any way that undue forces would warp, twist, or otherwise harm my bows.  I understand leaning them in a corner is bad because they will eventually "slump" into the corner, but the hanging bows are perfectly vertical.

[sailordad]

i think the whole drying and storing wood/bows vertically has to do with
the differance of rh at floor level,and at 6ft above floor level etc.
i find storing my staves in the garage rafters works best for me
and my bows all get stored horizontaly(cause i like the looks of them on the wall like that )

[wodpow]

I store my staves to cure back down. My buddy had his stacked in a corner in a shed standing up and the ends that were up had long check cracks from uneven drying.Even drying is what caring for a green stave is all about I told him If he would of maybe flipped them a little maybe they wouldn't of check as bad the lower end was fine but the upper checked down under the bark bad.

[Pat B]

All of my staves are leaning against the wall(vertically) in my basemwnt shop and all my finished bow are hunt vertically from a peg through the string of the upper limb. Alwayus done it that way and never had problems that I know of.

[Steve Milbocker]

Hanging bows vertically is bad?  I unstring the upper limb and then hang the bow on a peg made from a broken arrow.  For the life of me I can't see any way that undue forces would warp, twist, or otherwise harm my bows.  I understand leaning them in a corner is bad because they will eventually "slump" into the corner, but the hanging bows are perfectly vertical.

JW, from what I heard it allows the lower limb to accumulate more moisture than the upper. Might just be a myth. I always hung my glass laminated bows vertically, some of them for years and there were never any issues.

[crooketarrow]

   I can see not leaning a bow in the corner.But a stave is 2 or 3 inchs thick.I helped a guy build a ELM bow.My prefered way instesd of building it myself.Sence I very seldom build bows for anyone anymore.He stored it behind his water heater all winter.YOU CAN GUESS THE OUT COME WHEN HE WENT TO STRING IT.

[JW_Halverson]

Hanging bows vertically is bad?  I unstring the upper limb and then hang the bow on a peg made from a broken arrow.  For the life of me I can't see any way that undue forces would warp, twist, or otherwise harm my bows.  I understand leaning them in a corner is bad because they will eventually "slump" into the corner, but the hanging bows are perfectly vertical.

JW, from what I heard it allows the lower limb to accumulate more moisture than the upper. Might just be a myth. I always hung my glass laminated bows vertically, some of them for years and there were never any issues.

Since it is so dry here in the wet part of the year that my lips crack I am going to blow off that advice and leave my bows hanging as they are.  Thanks for the information, Steve.  I'll be sure pass it along to anyone that gets one of my bows and lives outa these desert conditions.

[Kegan]

All of my staves are leaning against the wall(vertically) in my basemwnt shop and all my finished bow are hunt vertically from a peg through the string of the upper limb. Alwayus done it that way and never had problems that I know of.

Same here. Only time I ever store bows horizontal is when they're in the hot box for final cooking.

[gmc]

I really don't think it's that critical for staves but I can see some concern with storing the average 21 oz. bow on its tip, propped in a corner for a long period of time.

Now, the idea of not storing your bow vertically on the wall because of the difference in RH within a given room I find interesting. I store my bows vertically on pegs like many others do in the dryest room in the house. Obviously, the winter climates would have more effect (for me anyway) as the outside temps plunge creating the cold floors and warm ceilings.

Just a little research revealed that a home held at 70 degrees (breathing line) could very well have 60 degree floors with 85 degree ceilings. Given that 25% fluctuation in temp. at any given RH would only make up a little less than 1/2 percent of moisture variance in the wood from top to bottom.