Author Topic: Waiting after tempering, how long?  (Read 10623 times)

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Offline NeolithicMan

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Waiting after tempering, how long?
« on: December 10, 2013, 11:36:28 am »
 I know its been posted before by a few people, but I would like to get more peoples opinion.

After a good heat tempering of the belly, how long before you take the bow out of the reflexed position? whether it be a form or strung backwards with a piece of wood raising the string. Relative humidity is the main factor for leaving it in position, after cooling of course, but are there any other factors in play?

At the moment I am working a shagbark hickory recurve, but any info on any wood in this regard would be appreciated.
John, 40-65# @ 28" Central New York state. Never enough bows, never enough arrows!

Offline Pappy

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2013, 11:40:43 am »
I usually just leave them on the form until they are good and cool,sometimes over night,but after that I give them several days/ 3 or 4 at least before I start bending them again. :)
Pappy
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Offline NeolithicMan

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2013, 11:47:54 am »
Dang... I hate waiting. Especially after working like a mad man for hours in a row then it all just stops. good thing I have more bows started!
John, 40-65# @ 28" Central New York state. Never enough bows, never enough arrows!

Offline Pat B

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2013, 11:54:40 am »
I'm with Pappy. I let tempered bows stay on the form over night then give them 3 or 4 days to rehydrate before stressing them. It pays to have 2 or 3 bows going at once to prevent impatience from calling in Murphy's law.  ;)
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2013, 01:19:48 pm »
It might not be necessary, but if it is a piece of whitewood, and I temper it pretty thoroughly, then I let it rest for 2-3 weeks.   This results in lots of bows in the works at any given time.   :)
I think 3-4 days is plenty for osage.  It likes heat!
"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2013, 01:25:40 pm »
I'll just plead the 5th on this one..;)
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 Pat B

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2013, 01:26:55 pm »
You just incriminated yourself by saying that Pearlie!  ;D
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2013, 01:28:16 pm »
Perhaps!
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 Onebowonder

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2013, 01:31:35 pm »
It may just be that I'm ignorant of what better results I might have with more patience, ...but I've always just figured cool to touch was kewl to work on and kuul to remove from the caul.  Maybe I drank too much koolaide... 

If the metered MC is back to what it was prior to tempering, is more moisture change still going on?

OneBow

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2013, 01:37:16 pm »
After a simple heat and move scenario, Im sure cool to the touch is fine. But a full blown temper may warrant a bit more wait time than just cool to the touch.
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 Pat B

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2013, 01:41:15 pm »
I even give my heat to bend/straighten over night to insure that the internal temp of the wood is cool too. The surface temp might feel cool but internally it could still be hot(warm).
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

blackhawk

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2013, 01:49:43 pm »
Can't count how many times I've yanked em(various woods used) off a form an hour later or less and immediately went to finish tillering n shooting etc....n I've seen plenty of yins others guys(won't say names cough cough) do the same with no I'll results....  >:D ....heck its hickory....once its cool take it off the form and start bending that beech  >:D

Offline Onebowonder

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2013, 01:49:51 pm »
NeoLithicDude - Please listen to these guys with years of experience and NOT me.  It would be little surprize that I need to be more patient in all things bowering.

OneBow

Offline NeolithicMan

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #13 on: December 10, 2013, 02:04:18 pm »
This is the bow I am working on now. I treated it yesterday morning and I was planning on leaving it like this for another day but now I am thinking a day or two on top of that from your guys' advise.
Is there benefit from removing the string and dowel? I had figured leaving it would not hurt if not help the bow... now that I have typed it I realize I have no evidence or reason to think that
John, 40-65# @ 28" Central New York state. Never enough bows, never enough arrows!

Don Case

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Re: Waiting after tempering, how long?
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2013, 02:07:13 pm »
When you're waiting for a bow like this to re-hydrate, would it be counter productive to give it a little spritz of water?