Tillering Question...

[Okie]

Do you guys leave your bows that you're working on in the heat or do you take them inside when you're not working on them. My shop is a metal shop that gets up around 110 degrees during the summer and the last bow I made took more set than normal. I was wondering if leaving it in the hot shop all day had anything to do with it. That was the first bow I'd built in the summer time. I usually build them in the winter but since becoming a bowaholic I can't wait till winter. Thanks for any help.

John

[Justin Snyder]

I always take them inside with me.  Justin

[Skeaterbait]

I leave mine in the heat but I don't do laminate bows and very few backed so I don't have much to worry about on glue joints.

[DCM]

I don't think it matters what the temperature is when you aren't working the bow.  I frequently heat my above 120 degrees in my hot box trying to keep the moisture out.  But if you work it at 100, or 110 degrees, expect it to set more.  That has been my experience.

[Pappy]

If your shop is that hot ,it is probably humid also,that is what will do it.I keep mine inside over an ac duct in the summer where the humidity is low.If I take it out of the hot box witch I keep at about 90/100 I let it cool a bit before I bend it.
    Pappy

[Pat B]

Unless you stress it while it is hot it shouldn't matter. In the summer, humidity is more of a concern.     Pat

[Okie]

Thanks guys... I'm sure the humidity was/is the problem then. I've put about 1-1/2 in of reflex (with a heat gun, which I know drys bows out , right?)in the bow I'm working on now and moved it into the house.( It is floor tillered). I don't plan on working on it until this Saturday. Is that to soon? And if I take it back out to the shop to start tillering it should I like it set for awhile before stressing it? Will a heat box help with the humidity? Thanks for the help.

John

[Dano]

I hate to sound like a broken record,  If you monitor The relitive humity in your hot box you can manage the moisture content of your wood. You can get a cheap RH/temp gauge at the local hardware store. Then use this calculator to determine the MC. http://www.woodbin.com/ref/wood/emc.htm

[JackCrafty]

The safest thing to do is always keep your bow inside when you're not working on it.  The temperature doesn't affect the moisture content nearly as much as the relative humidity....and it's almost always less humid inside than outside.  A hotbox (or a hot car) will get the stave down to 12-15% moisture content pretty quick but you'll need dry air to get it down to 6-8% (i.e. you may need a dehumidifier).  I recently moved to west Texas and noticed a lot of improvement in my bows....when I lived in central and south Texas the RH seldom got down below 70%....and my bows were sluggish.