relocating bows and performance drops

[NTD]

Have any of you built a bow that you sent to a more humid climate?  If so what kind of draw weight did you lose.  If I'm building a bow for someone that lives in a much more humid climate, how much should I allow for poundage loss.  I don't want to send someone what's supposed to be a 50# bow and it ends up being 35# where they live.

[ken75]

what area you going to . usually either direction there is a 4 to 6 lbs difference gain or loss. if its extreme changes in humidity

[NTD]

Don't know yet Ken.  I signed up for a bow swap but won't know who I'm building for until the middle of the month or so.  Might just have to send you a bow and see what happens

[ken75]

bring it on we can swap and check both ways

[NTD]

Sounds like a good idea but I get the sweet end of the deal, We know the bow you send me is only going to go up in performance while the one you get might shoot like a limp noodle

[JackCrafty]

I've sent a couple bows to places that are a LOT more humid.  I assume an automatic poundage loss of 5lbs.  If the bow will be stored outside, then maybe 10lbs?  However, juniper, osage, bamboo, and ipe bows will not loose much poundage, if any.

[Pat B]

I built an sinew backed osage a few years ago for an elk hunt with Kenneth. Some might remember Elkie. When I made her she pulled 56#@26". During the summer she lost 6# or more. I sent her out to Colorado 2 weeks before the hunt. When I got there she was back up to 56#. After the hunt(we had some rain showers and humid mornings while hunting) I gave Elkie to Kenneth and in not to long she had increased more in weight. I know the sinew had a lot to do with the weight change even though Elkie was well sealed.

[George Tsoukalas]

I built a bow in the dry NH winter and took it to Mojam 2003 (very humid) where it promptly took additional set and became a wet noodle. jawge

[adb]

Make it out of osage, and it'll be fine. Avoid hickory like the plague for wet climes.

[Sidewinder]

adb I agree.
 An unbacked osage doesn't care if its hot or cold wet or dry  if its well designed its gonna shoot good and not loose much either way. I bet Pat is right on the sinew being affected. Most sinew puts some natural reflex into the bow so I am sure if is not as tense as it was, there would be a drop off in performance.
  Hickory is way sensitve to moisture. I think most white woods are although the hop hornbeam I got from Mark Sst.Louis shot good in both places, but then again he heat treats and seals with that home made resin he gets from an evergreeen of some sort, I can't remeber what he said it was. Anyway, I'm ramblin.  Danny

[George Tsoukalas]

The bow in my previous post was mulberry. No finish will stop moisture. I agree that osage is probably the best for humid climates. BL isn't bad either. Jawge

[gstoneberg]

My sinew backed osage and mulberry bows got very sluggish in the humid Nebraska summers.  Here in Texas I always try to go unbacked with the osage.  Further west it probably wouldn't be as much of an issue.

George

[NTD]

Hmm, osage self bows sound like a winner.  Might have to get a stave for this exchange.  What about BBO's and BBI's anyone notice substantial loss with those.

Thanks for all the input guys!

[Badger]

  My bows tend to settle in at about 9% I think we have an average humidity here in the mid to high 60"s. When I take my bows to Utah for the flight shoots they put on 3 or 4 pounds. Mostly osage and they get pretty hot in my car.

[PeteC]

Nathan ,just build the bow out of osage,and everything will be just fine.   God Bless