Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Yooper Bowyer on January 07, 2021, 01:02:43 pm
-
I just cut a small diameter white ash log and got three lengths out of it, I expect it to yield at least 8 staves. I'd have cut it in spring so the bark would peel better, but I'd like to start tillering sooner than later. Is it ok to leave wood outside for a while if it's below freezing?
-
With whitewood I'd process the staves into roughed out bows asap. Many people would leave them outside whilst its cold, I wouldn't. Insect infestation isn't likely to be a problem in the short term, but what if it rains? Rot can still happen.
The way I look at it is you are going to need to do the work of debarking, reducing the stave, sealing the ends etc some time. The longer you wait the more chance of it getting ruined for a bow. Getting bark off is easier with fresh cut wood, even if it is winter. Leaving it on and not storing it properly, well you might forget, and then not get around to doing it until its too late. The bugs have gotten in, drying checks have gone deep, or rot has set in.
-
I just mean it might take me a few days to prosses the wood. I cut the staves long so I'm not worried about checking.
I am amazed at how well the wood split. Compared to the HHB and Elm I've done most recently it was nothing. I split a 4" diameter 80 some inch long log in half in a matter of minutes with a rubber mallet and two hatchets.
-
Yes ash splits crazy good. If its left in bow stave sized pieces it dries quickly without checking on an unsealed back(providing its not exposed to wind or heat)Its a really user friendly wood.
-
Great to know! I have half the wood debarked and inside right now. I have two staves set for fast drying at the moment and am monitoring their mass. If it naturally dries fast then I may get a bow done in record time. The RH at the ground floor is about 35%. I like the look of the wood and can't wait to see what it is like tempered and stained.
-
you will find they loose quit a a bit the first few days and then the loss rate tapers off. reducing rough staves to near bow dimensions helps, but extremely dry conditions with varying thickness can be problematic.
-
Here are the staves I have debarked so far. I have another length of fairly clean wood and two lengths of "interesting" wood.
The two staves on the bottom have been cut for fast drying. The three on top could probably each be split in half.
The stave second to bottom is cut to have a stiff handle, the bottom one will be a D bow.
On Jan 7 the D stave was shaped and its mass was 1338 grams. On Jan 8 the stiff handled stave was shaped and its mass was 1525 grams. The D stave was then 1262 grams.
Jan 9th 1449 & 1226
10th 1415 & 1198
11th 1393 & 1179
12th 1379 & 1167
13th 1365 & 1156
14th 1355 & 1148
-
At below freezing you could leave it outside without splitting for as long as you want
-
Great to know! I think my climate (and forest composition) is fairly similar to what you have.
-
The roughed out staves are now losing ~ 10g grams per day. This is about .7% of total mass per day. I think I can now reduce the thickness and width to without undue risk of warping.
-
It's been two weeks, I'll cut out the profile of the first bow shortly. The staves are now losing 5-7 grams per day.
-
Staves look good. I love ash, its about the most user friendly wood when it comes to drying. I wish osage was as easy.
-
Here are the masses continued.
16th 1339 & 1135
17th 1333 & 1130
18th 1325 & 1123
19th 1317 & 1117
20th 1312 & 1113
21st 1307 & 1108
Should I rough them out further now? I think so.
-
I just found that the humidity in my basement is about 25% and the temp is about 60 F. This means that the EMC is about 5.4% This means I can be 6% above EMC and still not be to damp. 6% of the total mass of the smaller stave is 66.48 grams.
This stave has lost about 17% of it's original mass (230 grams) so far.
-
I have started preliminary floor tillering on the smaller stave. I cut away 359 grams of wood, so the mass is now 749 grams. Photos to come. The stave is 1.5" wide in the center two feet, and tapers to 1/2" nocks on either end. It is about .8" thick in the center. Overall length is 67"