steam bending: pre-soaking?

[simson]

ty simson for your input
so I will not  be pre soaking it, 
but one question: you say to only steam it for about 20-30 minutes, is that typical for a bow?
I have heard 45 minutes from most and a few said about an hour.
Does it depend on the type of wood and whether it is green or seasoned?

As said, I work down to near dimensions  -  so 20-30 min is enough.
Some wood species like the steaming, some not. I have no white oak here, so I cannot say if it like or not the bending.
I use only seasoned wood, green wood mostly checks because the steaming causes aprubtly moisture loss.

[tacticalboxing]

General rule is one hour per inch of wood. Green wood a little less. Most of the time we're bending wood about 1/2" thick so that is the half hour. Google "the Veritas steaming booklet" but remember that most of our bends are quite mild and the strap isn't necessary. It is with sharp, small radius recurves. Practicing with off cuts and scraps is never a bad idea.

Okay, I will try it at 30 minutes and will read the veritas pamphlet. It is very informative . Ty so much for sharing that.

[tacticalboxing]

As said, I work down to near dimensions  -  so 20-30 min is enough.
Some wood species like the steaming, some not. I have no white oak here, so I cannot say if it like or not the bending.
I use only seasoned wood, green wood mostly checks because the steaming causes aprubtly moisture loss.

White oak is abundant here in the Piedmont area of the Carolinas, and it seems to be one of the best woods for steam bending, so I should be good to go. What kind of woods are you using in Bavaria? Just curious my family is from the Moravian German immigration.