Wrong climate to use hickory?

[osage outlaw]

I have been tillering a couple of hickory bows over the last few days and I'm not liking it.  The bows are dry, I got them down to floor tiller last year and they have been drying in the house ever since.  One is for my wife.  It is only 25-30 lbs and has taken on a lot of set.  The other one is a sinew backed bow.  I got it tillered to where I have to bend it to string it and the string is really tight, but still touches the handle (zero brace height).  Any way, I checked the weight, then put it on my pulley tillering set up.  I exercised it 30 times and took it down.  Now, it is at 1 1/2" brace height.  When I tiller osage, the string stretches, not the bow!  I am really not liking hickory right now.  It is hot and humid here in Southern IN.  It pretty much stays like that from June-Sept.  I know hickory needs to be very dry to perform its best.  Will all of my hickory bows shoot like the limbs are wet noodles?  If so, I will have some hickory to trade.

[RyanY]

It could be your design. Hickory will take a lot of set before it breaks even if it's dry.

[osage outlaw]

Maybe.  Here are the measurements.

Wifes bow:  66" long, limbs are 1 3/8" to mid limb tapering to 1/2" tip.  The target weight is 30 lbs at 26"


The sinew backed recurve is sort of a paddle bow shape(I was trying something different).  I want the handle to bend just a little at full draw. 

1 1/8" at the handle slowly flaring out to just under 2" for most of the limb and then tapering to 1/2" tips that are recurved.  It hasn't taken any set, yet.

[HoBow]

Its probably a little humid in southern indiana right now for hickory. It should be a good fall hunting wood though. I come down to Evansville every other month or so- I'd love to trade you for some. PM me if you are interested

[PEARL DRUMS]

I mentioned the same findings a while back Clint. I was told I was crazy. I love hickory, but I will be damned if I can keep them straight. It has happened to me every time too. Your wifes bow is a touch narrow, but heck its only 30 lbs., it should be fine.

[osage outlaw]

I made it a little narrower because of the light draw weight.  Maybe I'll throw mine in the corner and grab something yellow to work on.

[eflanders]

You could try heat tempering the hickory before tillering.  I usually do this now to help limit the amount of set and it speeds it up some too   I make all laminated bows so my advise may not work as well if you are not working with laminates...

[aznboi3644]

I'm in good ole Evansville.  Been here all 22 years of my life.

I keep my hickory next to the water heater at all times...its just too humid if not.

Try heat treating too.  Worked for me in this humid weather..The heat takes most of the moisture out and I leave it next to the heater to keep it that way...Got me a 45lb @ 26" bow thats 57" long and ZERO set.  Before heat treating the bow had 2" of set.

[Scowler]

Maybe you could make her a slightly heavier bow?

[George Tsoukalas]

I bet the moisture content was on the hight side. I like hickory 6-8 % and probably closer to 6 %. Jawge

[Pappy]

You just have to keep it dry,I keep mine in a hot box or over the AC duct when I am not working on it and I will tiller it in 3 or 4 sessions. 1 Floor tiller,then rest,then long string to low brace,then rest,then full brace and out to 15/18 in. inches,then heat treat and rest.then to full draw,then rest in dry place for a couple of days check tiller again,if all is good seal the crap out of it. Sounds like a lot of trouble but it's not really.Works for me. When ever I ant shooting it I keep it in the house close to the ac duct.It takes more care than yellow wood for sure but still make a fine bow and you don't have near as much trouble in the winter.
   Pappy