Main Discussion Area > English Warbow
Good time to cut wood?
Ruddy Darter:
Thank you WillS, and advice taken on board. I noticed a slice off the sapwood on one side and looks like it will still be on the bow when reduced so I'll definitely take it down passed that, I'll aim for something like you say, I will l in eave as it is until I take off what wood I can so i don't dent it. I'm going to take my time with this. Nice one.
R.D.
Ruddy Darter:
Just noticed a sharp angled scallop slice away right at the centre which may dictate I have to leave it 5 or6mm sapwood so the round belly profile fits within, not a problem as I like the look of quite thick sapwood. I glued some wood stirrers together so I could check the profile and see what I could fit in (estimate. Have to get one of those steel comb profile gauges). The centre of the belly grain is right about on that angled edge. I roughly estimated the flat crown that has a little rise at the centre which may give me a couple more mm when I get to it.
Just for the centre what dimensions would be good to aim for for a130@31 for Oregon yew if anyone could offer an opinion? (40mm x 36mm including 1/4" sapwood?)
And a good length? (I had in mind 78&3/4" )
R.D.
Marc St Louis:
Not sure why anyone thinks the sap should be taken into consideration when cutting wood. I cut according to the growing season. I refuse to cut any whitewood during the growing season because I want my back ring to be as thick as possible so that means early Spring then Fall into Winter, never in the Summer. If you wait too long to cut in the Spring then there might be issues with the wood being saturated with sap, this can cause problem with drying with the possibility of drying checks forming even if the bark is left on.
Ruddy Darter:
That's what happened to a couple of logs of Holly I got, in fact all Holly I've ever got, I think it was cut mid-late spring ( I found it in a log pile from woodland clearance, I didn't cut it) I split and debarked and removed pith and in a day the back split tremendously all over. It was for carving wood so not too much a pain, I filled the splits with woodglue to save as much large sections as possible. If I ever get Holly for a bow I'd be tempted to keep the bark on even if cut late winter, and maybe p.v.a over the bark too, I did this for one piece I found and it seasoned well indoors with no checking at all, but was too knotted and crooked for a bow. I reckon it's one to season slowly, and as a stave not half log.
R.D.
stuckinthemud:
Kept the bark on my holly to slow its drying, no checks at all except for an inch or so in the ends - was a half, log, good long length but not too fat around
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