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Osage moisture content

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Muskyman:
I was checking some Osage I harvested last September with my moisture meter and depending on the stave it was checking between 6 & 9 percent. The hickory I harvested about a week before was checking 16 to 18 percent. I’ve got quite a few staves so was just wondering if I’d be safe making a bow with it. At least taking one down to maybe bow shape and bringing it inside to dry further and make one this summer. I have seen some posts saying the older the better but have also seen people saying take it down and put it in a heat box for a while and weigh it until it stops losing weight.
Just curious about everyone’s opinion. Also if they’ve ever used the heat box method and how they do it.
Thanks

Hamish:
^-9% may not be very accurate, if the staves are very thick. The inner parts can be significantly wetter.

There is no harm trimming a stave into floor tillered condition whilst a bit green. I would still keep the back sealed with shellac though.

You can do any steaming whilst a bit wet too.

Then you can put it in a drying box. I just use a Torges style plywood box with incandescent bulbs.

Pat B:
With hickory, 5% to 6% is where it preforms best. With osage and most other woods 9% to 11% is the optimum M/C. Like Hamish said you can take any bow wood down to floor tiller stage with no harm. The wood will dry quicker at that stage but be sure the back and ends are sealed to prevent checking. Also, steaming a wet stave will aid in the drying process and if you put that stave on a caul you can induce some backset at the same time.
 IMO, a heat box is good for reducing the last little bit of moisture and maintaining the optimal M/C as you work the stave into a bow. Putting wet wood in a hot box can cause checking because you are forcing the moisture out at too fast of a rate.

Jim Davis:
Incandescent bulbs are near impossible to find in stores. I've got a few I horded. LED bulbs only get slightly warm...

Muskyman:
Thanks for the replies gentleman. I’m not in a panic to work these staves. Was just a little surprised by what my meter was showing me.
Also I can get incandescent bulbs about anywhere here in Ohio Jim. Wally World and all the big box stores seem to have them.  Also saw a ton of them online. Probably not like the old days but still seem to be around. They do seem pricier than they used to be.

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