Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Zradix on February 27, 2015, 03:19:00 AM
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Hey guys,
Just checked the humidity in my workshop...12%.
I'm making a tri lam of hickory, maple, osage.
The lams are mostly ready for gluing...but they'll need to sit for a few days/week.
Are they going to be too dry to use at that point?
...or maybe this is a good thing? :dunno:
Thanks
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You can use this to calculate your woods emc. Below 8% is getting risky for (most) wooden bows. A sinew backed hickory would be a smoker in those conditions though!
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http://www.csgnetwork.com/emctablecalc.html
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THANKS FOR THAT GREAT LINK MIKE!
I'd say I better find another place to store this wood for a while...NUTS!...lol
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That is incredibly low. Are you sure your hygrometer is correct? I have found wide variety in the calibration of them.
And remember humidity measurement is relative to temperature. This time of year, outside air has very little moisture since cold air can't hold as much. So if you warm that dry air, the relative humidity tanks. I would add a humidifier or at least a bucket or two of warm water. Lams will rehydrate quickly in moist air. In fact, you could probably just put them in the bathroom during your next shower and then glue them up after.
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Damn its almost always too dry to build wood bows here
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Is it too dry to shoot wood bows then?
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John,
Not positive if the reading is correct. I did check it with another ( totally different kind/make etc) and they were within 5% of each other...so I'm guessing they might be in the ballpark.
Thanks for the shower idea....I normally take one after sanding ..not before..lol
I have put some water over the heater..may even break out an old humidifier I have....jeez I don't wanna have to wait till spring.
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This is one great reason to have lots of different wood bows!
When it's warm and moist, you're sinew backed hickory is like a wet noodle, but the BBI don't care much.
Then when it's superdry bust out the sinew/hickory and out the other away!
You think my wife will buy that story?
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Worth attempting as long as you can keep a straight face.
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Just build the bow, that's my .02 cents. We worry too much about details that matter not. If a bow blows because its moisture content is 2% too low, there are other issues. I live 2 hours from you and just finished up a lovely yew RD bow and am working an osage static now. If that yew bow is fine, then anything is fine.
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Self bows?
I hear ya pearl.
Another consideration I have is that unibond says the wood should be 7-10% MC.
According to that chart my wood may well be in the 3% range.
now it may be bs..but sometimes they actually mean what they say in instructions...
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Self bows are about all I do. I post my bows on PA, very rarely on here.
Id imagine Uni-bond wants that moisture content up higher so the wood doesn't cup on you and because the excess heat required to set the epoxy could check the already very dry wood.
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Yea Chris, why dont you post them here anymore- i for one( and i know many will concur) really miss seeing your bows :( - you build beautiful bows man!! and your input and insight was /is always so appreciated\\
X2 on the yew- if it will survive the low humidity, then anything will :)
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I agree, Chris makes awesome bows...
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Just got to weather.com and they list the humidity.
Jawge
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The glue needs the moisture to cure it properly. Email the manufacture for the tech/data sheet and see what they say about their glue. Every glue has one and they make interesting reading if you want to know the facts ;)
Pearl - Why would already very dry wood start to 'cup'. That happens when moisture leaves flat sawn boards. If it's already dry how can it check?
If he just goes ahead and makes the bow and it blows what has he learnt?
The simple way to learn the same thing is to make up some test slats and do some simple bend tests. If I knew the odds were already stacked against me I wouldn't want to blow up some nice wood or waste my time? After all the wood only need rehydrating (if that humidity reading is good) so a little bit of time in a box with a bucket of water could prevent any problems.
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I would opt for a "good" humidifier, Johnny Boy... 12% sure is dry. Leave it run 24 and 7. My shop hovers around 37% in the winter.
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moving 2 old ones from the house I don't use any more in today.
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moving 2 old ones from the house I don't use any more into the shop today.
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Originally posted by fujimo:
Yea Chris, why dont you post them here anymore- i for one( and i know many will concur) really miss seeing your bows :( - you build beautiful bows man!! and your input and insight was /is always so appreciated\\
X2 on the yew- if it will survive the low humidity, then anything will :)
Photobucket sucks! If I could simply post the same edited pics straight from my PC like I do on PA. Id post them all here as well. Just add PA to your favorites bar and visit both sites, I do!
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Use Imgur (http://imgur.com//) its simple and works
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welded up a couple stainless troughs that hold 1gal H2O each to put on top of the open hot air duct in the shop.
Plugged in 2 good sized humidifiers I had in storage.
...31% and climbing...
It'll all work out.
Thanks for the help guys.
I'm glad I didn't just go for it...may as well play it safe.
By that chart that was posted, looks like 50% humidity is ideal.
Should be able to get it up there in a few days..or less.
Going to be a good few days before I can spend time on a bow anyway.
Once it's up to 50% I'll give the wood a few days to rehydrate and make something happen.
..you know...I have "friends" I see in person that are harder to get help from than you all here.
THANK YOU!
:thumbsup: :campfire:
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The wood will take all of seven days to reach equilibrium with your target 50% number.
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Sounds like a good idea Chris.