Crack in fade on hickory selfbow

[briarjumper12]

Originally posted by Art B:
At 50% rh that's only going to get you down to around 10% MC. Between 35-40% would be better for hickory if you plan on heat treating IMO...........ART

That's what was I was thinking too.  Back in the fall when I done my first one I was getting over 100 F and 30 to 40% rh.  But with cold and wet weather it ain't getting that hot and dry.  I may try putting in a couple extra trouble lights or something.  That should boost the temp and lower the rh enough shouldn't it?

[Art B]

Brairjumper, the r/h in your house is probably drier than your box. Easy to over dry a bow in a hot box. I've lost more than one like that. So I quit using one years ago. I keep a humidifier going day and nite and my place stays between 39-43% r/d. With an air conditioner in the summer those numbers seldom change. Much better than any ol' hot box and all my finished bows benefit as well.............ART

[briarjumper12]

Art,
Your right about the rh in the house, it was 45%.  We been wet here, raining for 3 days.  But I did replace two of the 100 watt bulbs in my box with 150's.  Temp went up 110 F and rh around 45%.  I am thinking if the rain wet weather ever subsides it might drop another point or two then as well.

[briarjumper12]

Well guys I left in the hot box from the 18th until day before yesterday...Clamped to the reflex form.  I took it Monday evening and toasted the belly until it was a light brown, very light brown.  Left it on the form until it was cold again.  Then I took it off and measure from the table to the back of the grip (with back down) and it measured 2 1\\4".  I left it out of the box until this morning to let the moisuture equalize again.  It didn't do any cracking this time.  But it does have some bad looking cracks in the fades and belly of the handle.  I had already filled them with superglue before the heat treat.  I'll get to some pics up some so I can get some feedback on this thing.
Thanks guys!

[briarjumper12]

Its taking me for ever on this thing.  Going real slow with scraping.  Took the time to build me tree with pullys and weight scale so if it blew in the handle I would be killed.  Got it bending about 2 inches at the tips right now.

[briarjumper12]

Well here are some pics. I have actually finished tillering but this is of just before finishing.  I wound up fixing that right limb where they both look even and good.
 
 

[dutchwarbow]

Good stuff briar, nice tiller, but keep the weight down at the tips. Alot of weight there that you don't need.

I'd also suggest you round your nockgrooves  

love them silencers!!

Nick

[RB]

Not bad on the tiller there Briarjumper  

Ought to be good on elephants.    Now can you hit a turkey in the head with it at 10 yds hehe?

-rb

[briarjumper12]

RB,
Working on that!

Nick,
I'll get some final pics up in a week or two.  Probably do new thread with the finished product.  This above pic is not of the final tiller, it actually looks better.  And I been rounding out nock grooves whenever I get minute or two work on it.  Still got to carve out the handle too.  Got some surprise tickets to Bristol this weekend and if I do get to go there won't be much bowyering going on!