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Crab apple wood

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Ruckus:
All,
I live in Southeast Alaska and have been looking for a local wood to cut for bow staves. This year a lot of trees produced crab apples and I finally realized just how many trees are available. Now I have my eye out for a straight piece(not an easy task). I have a few candidates, and have become nervous. How do I drain them?  Leave them as logs, quarter them, what do I seal them with, what sides or the stave do I seal?  I am sure I will make some mistakes, but would like some advice before I start to cut down trees. Any help would be appreciated. Any other siggestions on bow woods would be welcome as well.
Thx

Hamish:
 I would definitely quarter them if the log is big enough. As its winter where you live, seal the ends with PVA glue, and leave the bark on and not have to worry about bugs. You could take the bark off, but then you would need to coat the backs a couple of times with glue. Apple/ crabapple like to check if left in big chunky sections, even when sealed. You can store them in a shed, but not in a heated room.

That reminds me I have a bunch of crab billets that I cut and split about 2 years ago. They should be ready about now.

richgibula:
Don't forget about Serviceberry. I wish I could tell you about crab apple.

bassman211:
 I know nothing of crab apple here in western Pa except I cut a tree big enough tree for 2 staves that had some nice natural reflex 3 or 4 years ago that was straight. In about a week I split it in 2 pieces, and left it my basement 64 degrees and 65% humidity.. In the next 2 days it had propeller twist the likes of which I have never seen. Burned the staves, and that was it for me ,and crab apple.

Muskyman:
Don’t know what part of SE Alaska you live in but I have read that pacific yew grows in the southern part of SE Alaska. Just thought I’d throw that out there but you probably already know that.

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