Heat-Treating recovery time?

[okie64]

I heat treated a hickory bow today and was wandering if anyone had any thoughts on how long to wait for the wood to rehydrate before I finish tillering it.Ive heat treated bows before and Ive always waited 5 or 6 days to let them rehydrate before I finish tillering them. Is it really necessary to wait that long or can I finish tillering it sooner than that. Im gonna be off work the next couple days and thought I might finish it then. I got it tillered out to 52# at 28" so should just have a little touch up tillering to do.

[Silent Bear]

with hickory I start the next day

[GREG IN MALAD]

I think it depends on how dry the wood was before tempering. If it was 10% moisture before tempering then I would tiller it the next day, if it was 6% then I would wait a couple weeks.

[Pat B]

If the R/H in your area is low leave it longer. I usually give a bow 3 or 4 days at least before I stress it after tempering. Hickory, unlike most other bow woods can survive with it's M/C as low as 5% to 6% and probably preforms best at that M/C. I would still give hickory a few days to rehydrate after tempering. Why take the chance of it breaking.

[vanillabear?]

[okie64]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll probably let it set till this weekend. Its not supposed to get above freezing for the next few days and my shop doesnt have heat in it so I dont figure I'll work on it again till it warms up a little. I got the bow in the house with a humidity meter next to it and its only about 30%. Anybody know what mc that translates out to?Ive got a book that says 6%. That sound about right?

[KochNE]

I read somewhere on here about leaving the bow in the bathroom to help keep moisture content up.  Shower should help raise humidity level relative to the rest of the house.