Kiln Dried Lumber

[Frosty the Bowman]

I read somewhere that it is bad to use this in bow building, but did not find a reason. Can anyone here explain it please?

Is there anyway to make it work ever?

What does it do, whats wrong with it?

I know, I know, another question.

Should have called myself " the man of a thousand questions" huh?

Thanks

[Pat B]

That is a falacy. Lots of folks make good bows from kiln dried wood. Once it has stabilized in your area it is just wood.

[LittleBen]

Wood is wood as long as its not checked and its decent bow wood species.

[Frosty the Bowman]

Thanks guys, geuss it pays to double check all info just to be sure.

[fujimo]

The debated topic is kin dried verses seasoned, and wood that has been kiln dried is not necessarily seasoned.

Does this make a noticable difference when building bows, I don't know.

But having a kiln, and drying wood, I do know this, if you don't do it properly, and follow the" recipe" you can wreck wood in a hurry. Dry spruce too fast, and you will case the outside, and seal moisture in, finish pine at too low of a temperature, and you won't set the pitch, and you will gum up everything. Every single species has a different procedure. Are all the production mills following all the labour intensive recipes- i dunno !!!

But that's the debate, for what it's worth.

Good now you will also have one more thing to think about, and not just me      

[Pat B]

There is a big(IMO)difference between dry wood and seasoned wood when making wood bows and arrows(self or laminated). You can make a good bow from dry wood. It happens every day. The wood in a well seasoned stave is more stable though and (also IMO) makes a very good bow if you do your part. It is less apt to fret, take set or warp. I think it is less affected by R/H because the resins, etc in the cells and cell walls of seasoned wood have had a chance to solidify thus helping the wood cells repel the ambient air moisture.
  When you heat treat(temper) the belly of a whitewood bow(as per Marc St Louis, TBBIV) you are forceing the M/C from the wood and atrificially solidifying the resins, etc making that wood more compression strong. This should not be considered a shortcut to well seasoned wood but something to add to your bag of bow building tricks where appropriate.
  I have well seasoned, kiln dried wood in my workshop that has had years of seasoning. This wood is as well suited for building bows as any self cut and seasoned wood in my arsonal of bow wood. You do however have to consider appropriate design for the wood chosen.