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Author Topic: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?  (Read 689 times)

Offline Zradix

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Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« on: February 27, 2015, 03:19:00 AM »
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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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline mikkekeswick

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2015, 04:07:00 AM »
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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Offline mikkekeswick

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2015, 04:09:00 AM »
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Offline Zradix

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2015, 08:12:00 AM »
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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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline John Scifres

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2015, 08:43:00 AM »
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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Offline BenBow

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2015, 08:43:00 AM »
Damn its almost always too dry to build wood bows here
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2015, 09:05:00 AM »
Is it too dry to shoot wood bows then?
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Offline Zradix

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2015, 09:16:00 AM »
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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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline LittleBen

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #8 on: February 27, 2015, 09:30:00 AM »
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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Offline Zradix

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #9 on: February 27, 2015, 09:35:00 AM »
Worth attempting as long as you can keep a straight face.
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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #10 on: February 27, 2015, 12:21:00 PM »
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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Offline Zradix

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #11 on: February 27, 2015, 12:53:00 PM »
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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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2015, 01:53:00 PM »
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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Offline fujimo

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2015, 02:31:00 PM »
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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Online Roy from Pa

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2015, 03:17:00 PM »
I agree, Chris makes awesome bows...
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #15 on: February 27, 2015, 03:32:00 PM »
Just got to weather.com and they list the humidity.
Jawge
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Offline mikkekeswick

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #16 on: February 28, 2015, 02:24:00 AM »
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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Online Roy from Pa

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #17 on: February 28, 2015, 09:17:00 AM »
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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Offline Zradix

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #18 on: February 28, 2015, 09:29:00 AM »
moving 2 old ones from the house I don't use any more in today.
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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline Zradix

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Re: Humidity in workshop is 12%..too dry for making wood bows?
« Reply #19 on: February 28, 2015, 09:30:00 AM »
moving 2 old ones from the house I don't use any more into the shop  today.
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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear
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