Drying wood in summer

[Lee Lobbestael]

Hey guys. I roughed out an elm stave recently from green wood. Its about two weeks in and no checking, I have it clamped with backset to a board. The humidity in Michigan is pretty high this time of year. My question is, even in high humidity can you dry bow wood in a car in the sun? Or does the humidity prevent this from being effective? If so how long does it take to dry a near bow sized stave? I don't have an accurate scale so that is out

[PEARL DRUMS]

Do you have air con in the house Lee? Id suggest leaving them under your bed if you do. They will dry nice and not split. Your right, the humidity up here has been high this spring so far. If Im not in a hurry I leave them in my garage for a several weeks. They dry very safely and slow out there as its hot and humid.

[Pat B]

Once the wood reaches MC equilibrium it will remain there until it gets into a dryer atmosphere like the inside of a hot car or in your house with A/C.

[George Tsoukalas]

AC house is nice and comfy for humans too. Helps with demoistureizing a stave.
2 weeks out is pretty we. I'd be afraid the stave would check in a attic or car.
I'd wait awhile. Keep checking humidity and then around 12 % I'd finish it in the attic or car for a few hours. But watch it constantly and then some.
Jawge

[Lee Lobbestael]

Thanks guys! So once its at equilibrium, only a few hours in a hot attic or car will do it? I was thinking several hot days in there

[DLH]

I'm down in kentucky and have left a hygrometer in my car at work during the day and my temp peak at around 126 degrees and the humidity got down into the teens. I considered drying some in my car too but after I measured that I backed out especially since I was wanting to dry white oak which can be dried too fast easily. Hope this helps this was back before it got into the 90s here.

[osage outlaw]

I've put hickory staves in a hot car before.  They didn't check or twist.  You can't hardly get hickory to dry though.

[Pat B]

Equilibrium is associated with the relative humidity(R/H). If you live in a high R/H area the MC of the stave will change with the R/H, finding equilibrium. Inside your house has constant R/H for comfort so your stave will hit equilibrium with the constant, lower R/H.

[Lee Lobbestael]

Pat I only have a window unit in my house. I guess I could put it under the couch in the window unit room

[mullet]

Lee, it's hot and humid down here, too. 99, yesterday with rain. I leave my staves in a sheet metal hot box,( my shop). When I get them to floor tiller I bring them into the A/C in the house at night till I get it tillered and sealed.

[bow101]

Could a guy rough out a bow to floor tiller stage seal it and let it sit till dry without it doing funky twisty things. Or how about leaving it outside in the sun...?

[Pat B]

I think air movement draws more moisture out of wood than direct sun light. Lower humidity draws out moisture too.  Build a simple hot box One sheet of foil lined insulation foam board and a couple of ceramic light sockets and a 100w bulbs. Vent each end of the box so the moisture can escape.