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Author Topic: Bow bent itself...?  (Read 2732 times)

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Offline Tortoise

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Bow bent itself...?
« on: May 23, 2012, 08:21:18 pm »
Hi all  :)

Now that school just ended for me today I immediately went to work on my bow (osage/hickory 72"). It has been resting on a counter top for a little over a month with no work, and it developed a noticeable bend toward the back.



The center is a little over 1/2" high off the surface. I was looking for this bow to be #55-60, this bend looks like it adds weight. I have no idea what caused this or if it is bad or not, what do I do?

Thanks   :)
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-Peter
Arizona

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2012, 08:24:10 pm »
It dried out perhaps. Couldnt ask for a better bend than reflex.
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Offline Tortoise

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2012, 08:28:55 pm »
Quote from: PEARL DRUMS on May 23, 2012, 08:24:10 pm
It dried out perhaps. Couldnt ask for a better bend than reflex.
So this is a good thing?
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-Peter
Arizona

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2012, 08:30:51 pm »
Reflex is a good thing, overly dry wood isnt. What is the humidity % down there right now?
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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Tortoise

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2012, 08:33:39 pm »
The humidity is 9% (I'm in AZ so it's always dry like this)
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-Peter
Arizona

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2012, 08:46:35 pm »
Thats super low. We stick around 50-80 up here in MI.
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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Tortoise

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2012, 08:51:37 pm »
So I guess this isnt a good bow climate  >:( any way to re-hydrate it?
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-Peter
Arizona

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2012, 09:14:55 pm »
Is it a bow yet? Or still a project?
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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Arrowind

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2012, 09:54:46 pm »
The wood probably dried out a bit with the weather warming up here.  I live in AZ also.

I say just make a bow and see how it goes.    Every area has it's pros and cons.  You can make bows in Arizona just fine.  Go for it!
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2012, 09:59:56 pm »
Yup. Even sealed it will go up and down with the weather. Its living in AZ now and you dont have a choice if you want a bow. Hickory loves dry climates. It will perform great.
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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2012, 11:09:38 pm »
Like Pearly said.  Get some hickory and make some selfbows. 
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2012, 11:29:37 pm »
I seriously doubt hickory can get too dry!

Hickory grows all over the country, but especially in places that have pretty good humidity...so many hickory trees are spared by voracious bowyers.  But here in western South Dakota, I doubt there is a better bow wood!  Pity it just don't grow here!

Good Luck!
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Offline Tortoise

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #12 on: May 24, 2012, 12:20:12 am »
Awesome thanks for the help guys  :)
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-Peter
Arizona

Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Re: Bow bent itself...?
« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2012, 09:50:44 am »
It's not a problem.  Take it slow and finish it out.  I like to oil my woods with Danish oil.  You can rehydrate the wood if you think it needs it. I've had big signs blanks in hard woods warp as they dried after cutting the wood down for joining.  We sprayed it with a watter bottle and clamped it flat.  Took care of the problem. 

There is no need to fix that bend.  I try to glue bend like that into my blanks.
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