Tell me your Red Oak belly tempering success stories

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

So, I have an other Red Oak in the works,

I would like to be able to make a 60 # bow out of it and considering tempering, would be nice to hear some success stories to give me a bit more confidence 

[Archer Bunta]

I've never had any success with Red Oak as a bow. All of them I broke. I do have a hickory bow that I lightly tempered the belly with. At first it worked pretty well. I felt it gaining a few more pounds. The string follow reduced. Over time however, all that work went to nothing because hickory have the tendency to absorb a lot of moisture. The bow "became soggy" in a sense that it lost some of its poundage and gained the string follow again. I do notice it that it performs better in the winter because of the dryer climate though. Haven't tried tempering since then.

[Badger]

     I don't get too much benefit from toasting red oak, one of the few woods I don't get too much benefit. It does seems to work for shaping the bow on the cawls as long as nothing is too extreme. I have to get it pretty hot just to shape it.

[George Tsoukalas]

Stave or board? I do not remember tempering red oak log staves. I figure the boards have seen enough heat.
Jawge

[bubby]

I never tempered any ro that i built and steamed in any bends I've built some that were screamers too

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

Thanks,

Quess I'm not gonna temper my next Red Oak 

[PlanB]

I like a good experiment, pirate. Shoulda been born in Missouri, myself.