Heating Hickory Questions

[razorback]

Just scraped some more off the little hickory I am working on. Put it on the caul to put some even reflex into it and straighten it out a bit.
Couple of questions for you guys,

1. When I heated up this stave, which I believe was well dried, moisture began to hiss out one end of the bow. Is this bad or do I just need to let it dry out some more before I tillering any more.

2. When do you guys toast the bellies of your hickory bows.

3. I plan to flip the tips a little, when should I do this in the process.

Bow is at floor tiller at the moment, 62" ttt, a little under 1 1/2" wide and because of the shape of the split has a rounded profile.

Any comments or questions welcomed.

[DVSHUNTER]

I would say its got to much moisture. Let it dry.  I don't lways heat treat hickory. You don't have to. When I do heat treat it I do it after I get it tillered. If it is floor tillered then you can flip the tips now with stream or wait until it dries and dry heat it. Tiller from the belly only because hickory likes to be wide and flat bellied.

[razorback]

Thanks Dave.
I got this stave at ETAR last july and split it soon after. The guy I bought it from said it was a couple of years old and gad been handled properly. I thought it would be dry enough, obviously not. Could I have damaged the wood by heating it with dry heat whilst it is still too wet. Also will getting it to floor tiller in this state cause problems.
Not too worried about this one as it is somewhat an experiment with leftover wood. Is probably too narrow to make a good bow and has a couple of other issues. It is going to be a great learning experience and I may just get a bow out of it.

[Pat B]

Like Dave said hickory likes a flat belly. Also for thr recurves you will have better staying power if you steam them in. You can do it with dry heat but generally with hickory they will pull out.
 If moisture is coming out of the stave it is too wet to stress. You can floor tiller with no ill effects. I would seal the back with shellac first if you add heat to this stave. If you decide to steam the tips, seal them with shellac, back, belly and sides to prevent it from taking on more moisture.
  Once you get the bow tillered out or almost there you can heat treat the belly with dry heat. Read Marc St Louis' chapter in TBBIV about heat treating wood. Marc has been using and developing this technique for years and gives pretty good explanation of the process and the results.

[razorback]

Thanks Pat,
I've got it tucked away drying some more and will work on some other projects before pulling it back out.

[Pat B]

Hickory needs to be very dry to perform well; like 6% m/c. Other bows will blow up at that low m/c rate but hickory will shine.

[razorback]

I have forced air heat in our house and there is an open vent in my workshop where I have it now. Should get it good and dry pretty quick. Warm dry air blowing over it will work nicely, I hope.