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When to chase a ring

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Muskyman:
Opposite end

superdav95:
MuskyMan.  Those are tight rings in the middle.  I do like others have said and chase the ring first above the one your chasing then get the scrapers out for the rest.  Especially on tight rings.  As for that hickory it’s the same with all of my seasoned staves here also at around 10% mc.  That’s common for hickory.  Once you heat treat that you’ll be around 7 or less depending on your climate.  I’ve never had any go above 7 after heat treatment.  You could still make a very nice bow with that piece of Osage.  Just glue up a section for your hand and fades from scrap Osage you have.  Best of luck pal. 

Dave

M2A:
I doubt you stave is at 10% MC after 3-4 weeks unless you are keeping it in a drying box. Regardless, chase a ring(seal the back again), rough it out, then weigh it. Wait a week and weigh it again, keep doing so until it stops losing weight for a week or 2. Then you can be pretty sure that you are in good shape to continue to till the bow, a thick handle area will still be high in moisture but the working limbs will be fine. My best guess would be if you rough it out today you would be at least 6 weeks out from tillering, unless you use a drying box. Good luck on the build.
Mike

Muskyman:
They are really thin Dave , I’ve been looking at it and am probably going to shoot for for the third ring down. One reason is that there might already be a violation of one or two of the top couple from when I took the bark and sapwood off. Whatever I do I’m going to go slow. I did get a set of scrapers that has the curved one and a goose neck one a week or two ago to help with some of the contours in these Osage staves.. If I can’t get a good ring chased I’m guessing I can back it with something. Also got this guy to play with if I have to wait till I can get another Piece of Osage that has better rings

That’s what I was really thinking when I started this post M2A. The stave is something I split the bottom off another piece and it laid out in the sun for a couple weeks before I grabbed it off the scrap pile and decided to put it in my shed.

George Tsoukalas:
My meter gives surface readings only. I  check right down to the stave's first stringing to get around that. Gives a truer reading.

Muskyman, those rings are tiny.
You might consider removing the sapwood and going with the next ring down.

Jawge

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