Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Tzuridis on March 26, 2013, 11:42:48 am

Title: Heat Box or heater.
Post by: Tzuridis on March 26, 2013, 11:42:48 am
I have seen a couple of heat boxes people have made with aluminum foil and light bulbs.
My question is whether or not it would be a good idea to place some wood in the room where my heater is that heats my house. It is a very small room and is probably 75 or 80 degrees in there. I believe it is pretty dry in there, at least compared to outside where it gets very humid here in SC. How effective would that be for drying some wood I recently cut and how long should I leave it in there?
Title: Re: Heat Box or heater.
Post by: Pappy on March 26, 2013, 11:47:34 am
Works very good,always keep mine by an ac duct  in the summer or close to a heat sourse in the winter. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Heat Box or heater.
Post by: Tzuridis on March 26, 2013, 11:54:06 am
How long do you think I should leave it in there before I should work on it? I cut it down yesterday.
Title: Re: Heat Box or heater.
Post by: mikekeswick on March 26, 2013, 11:58:00 am
If you put a green piece of wood somewhere too dry it will check.
What you need to do is buy a humidity meter, get one with a temperature reading as well.
Then google - relative humidity / temperature table
Title: Re: Heat Box or heater.
Post by: Tzuridis on March 26, 2013, 12:04:57 pm
Ok thank you for the replies
Title: Re: Heat Box or heater.
Post by: DarkSoul on March 26, 2013, 12:23:26 pm
Rough out the freshly cut stave so it just starts bending when you floor tiller it.
(optionally: strap it to a sturdy board to keep it from warping as it dries)
Leave to dry fairly slowly for maybe two or three weeks. Indoors at room temp. is fine.
Put it in hotbox or heater room (strill strapped down) for another two or three weeks.
Measure precise weight daily and see when it stops losing weight (=water) for at least three days in a row.
Start tillering.
Title: Re: Heat Box or heater.
Post by: osage outlaw on March 26, 2013, 12:56:53 pm
How are you storing your wood?  In logs, staves, roughed out bows?  Bark on or off?  Wood dries at roughly 1" per year.  The bigger the piece of wood, the longer it will take to dry.  Watch for checks, cracks, twists, and warping if quick drying. 
Title: Re: Heat Box or heater.
Post by: Tzuridis on March 26, 2013, 01:36:28 pm
All the bark is on, I think I am just going to leave the wood to dry in the warehouse.