Author Topic: Best time to work down a few hickory staves (Read 3358 times)

bigcountry · « **on:** February 10, 2009, 10:14:12 am »

I cut a hickory tree on Oct. Split it into 10-12 staves. About 3-4 are clear with no knots. I kept them big about 6" wide to keep from twisting and warping. Would not be a good time to rough out a few blanks to get the drying time down? Or should I let em dry a tad longer. I messed up and left the bark on. So when I take the bark off some, it still feels damp.

Pappy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2009, 11:16:52 am »

The should be OK,just don't put them in a really dry hot place for a few weeks after you work them down.Then tune up the heat some.

Pappy

bigcountry · « **Reply #2 on:** February 10, 2009, 11:35:04 am »

Pappy, I was reading your article on hickory and thinking about getting some ready to work. I might work them down and store them until next winter. I was just thinking, I have a room where I keep my woodstove that is like 20% humidity. But maybe I shouldn't introduce them to this room until they have more time to dry out some.

nickf · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2009, 12:35:32 pm »

get that 6" piece in 2 or 3 pieces, then rough those bows out, so you can start floortillering them. Floortillering won't add set, but it makes sure your limbs are as thin as possible. Such a stave will be dry within 14days, if you keep it inside.

Nick

TRACY · « **Reply #4 on:** February 10, 2009, 01:25:18 pm »

You can remove the bark down to the cambium layer and that will help withdraw some of the moisture. Another option from there would be to gradually work the belly down and storing it in a hot box when not working the staves. There are plans for making a hot box on the site in the "How To" section if you need them. Good luck. Hickory's one of my favorites for a self bow.

PeteC · « **Reply #5 on:** February 10, 2009, 04:29:18 pm »

Bigcountry,you don't need to wait at all.Do just as Nick said,lay it out, then take your stave to near bow dimensions,where you get a good floor tiller.Then clamp it in reflex to let it dry in an area like you mentioned.It will come off the form with nice even reflex, ready to tiller, within a month.

bigcountry · « **Reply #6 on:** February 10, 2009, 06:38:12 pm »

Quote from: PeteC on February 10, 2009, 04:29:18 pm

Bigcountry,you don't need to wait at all.Do just as Nick said,lay it out, then take your stave to near bow dimensions,where you get a good floor tiller.Then clamp it in reflex to let it dry in an area like you mentioned.It will come off the form with nice even reflex, ready to tiller, within a month.

so I guess you are saying put it in a form or caul for a month or so?

Basically here in MD, things are nice and dry until about end of march, then extreme wetness comes in. I wouldn't mind to build a bow and have it ready to seal when real dry.

I don't ahve a heat box. But contiplating building one.

FlintWalker · « **Reply #7 on:** February 10, 2009, 08:48:34 pm »

You can be pretty aggressive with hickory, especially if it's been cut for a little while. I'd rough one out and floor tiller it a little, then pop that baby in a hotbox and dry the heck out of it. As long as it is loosing weight, it's too wet. Proceed with tillering once it stops dropping weight for at least a week. Don't worry about getting it too dry, as that's not likely to happen with hickory.

Pappy · « **Reply #8 on:** February 11, 2009, 06:09:22 am »

You don't have to worry about getting it to dry but if you don't clamp it,[I do so many at a time I don't have roome to clamp them] and they are not fairly dry they will twist. If you have room and
aren't doing to many you can do like Pete said.I use to do that when I worked 1 or 2 at a time.They
will dry very quick in the room by the wood stove.I have made bows from a standing tree to a bow in a little over a month doing them that way.

You just have to keep your eye on them.I now
split them into 1/4 logs and a few months later to about 4 inch wide stave's ,and in another few months to bow size.So in all it takes about a year.

You don't have to wait near that long ,just pick you one out and go for it,then the others will be ready when you are.Also I always take the bark off.It takes them forever to dry if you leave it on.

Pappy

Pat B · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2009, 10:18:07 am »

...also remember that once the R/H begins to rise in the spring so will the M/C of your staves until they reach equilibrium with the environment. That won't hurt your staves but you have to keep that in mind as you work your staves into bows. The stave you are working on should be kept in a controlled environment(hot box, house with a/c or heat on, etc) so you can get the most out of the hickory with the least amount of set.
Once you have your bow completed you will still have to watch the M/C because the finish will not eliminate the humidity from being absorbed by the wood. A good finish will only slow down the hygroscopic rate so your hickory bows will feel a bit mushy during the humid months but very snappy again when the air turns dry. Pat

Danny Roberts · « **Reply #10 on:** February 16, 2009, 09:01:22 am »

Leave a little of the inner bark on. It makes a great natural camouflage.

Primitive Archer