Keeping bows in 20% rh

[Fox]

Basically all fall and winter and some of spring it’s in the 20% rh. My bows and staves that I want to work are kept in this 20% rh. I had a bow I made this summer (where it’s 70%rh in the house) lift a big splinter from a knot the other day. I was wondering if I shouldn’t store my bows and staves in here ... ?

-Fox

[willie]

heating the air in the house dries it out in the winter. you could keep them in an unheated area and it would help.

Is 20% RH what the weather service reports as the outside RH in your area?

Also, if the belly dries the bow can pick up poundage. This might be an indication to "not pull past your draw weight", just as if tillering.

[bownarra]

Make yourself a hornbow It would be an absolute screamer in 20r.h.   

[Allyn T]

I have the same problem in my house. I'm thinking about making a wet box, keeping damp rags in it to keep humidy up

[Pat B]

Hickory is one wood that works better in dry climate. It likes to be 6% or so where most other woods can blow at that RH. Most bow woods do best at 9% to 11% RH.
 Our winter RH can be in single digits or the low teens here and we heat with wood so our house is dry in the winter and humid(2nd highest rain fall in Continental US next to Olympic peninsula, over 100" already this year) in the summers and the only bows I've had break were of my doings. In dry conditions you may have to exercise your bow gradually after you brace it so it can get used to the dryness.

[Selfbowman]

Hickory is one wood that works better in dry climate. It likes to be 6% or so where most other woods can blow at that RH. Most bow woods do best at 9% to 11% RH.
 Our winter RH can be in single digits or the low teens here and we heat with wood so our house is dry in the winter and humid(2nd highest rain fall in Continental US next to Olympic peninsula, over 100" already this year) in the summers and the only bows I've had break were of my doings. In dry conditions you may have to exercise your bow gradually after you brace it so it can get used to the dryness.

Could you send some of that 100” to Spicewood Tx we need it bad!

[Pat B]

We've had over 300" in the last 3 years. Our 20 year average until then is about 70" per year.