Fresh Cut Black Locust Staves...pics

[smokeu]

I cut this tree yesterday It was about five inches at the base before i removed the bark, I should have gotten another stave out of this tree but there was a nasty lillte borer digging around. Luckilly he didnt ruin the whole thing. I sealed the whole staves with some thinned out wood glue I think im gonna put something else on them today I am also keeping them indoors. But im really worried they will dry too fast and crack.  The smaller one is pretty thin and has a huge not where a branch was im goung to put as a handle section. I was wondering about how long i should wait to start working these. I have heard a lot of different techniques.

To be continued...

Thanks,

Mike

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[Pat B]

With the backs and ends sealed you should be able to reduce them to floor tiller stage for quicker drying.

[TRACY]

Floor tiller and clamp it  on a form for some reflex if that suits you. Lots of options to choose from.

Tracy

[smokeu]

Would you reduce the backs to one growth ring or wait for them to dry some. I was thinking of floor tillering the rougher smaller one. and letting the better one dry longer.

[Pat B]

Reduce the back to the ultimate ring for the back, seal it well and floor tiller. You can bend the tips to about 4" without overstressing the green wood. Like Tracy said, clamp it to a form so it doesn't twist and you can add some reflex to it also. Give it a month to dry and you should be good to go.

[smokeu]

Thanks was thinking of going down to the first growth ring of heartwood... It will be my first to work down this way, So i figure less error if I go to the first ring but they are thicker deeper down.  Going to try to round up some 2x4s to clamp them to.  May just reseal them though because I may not have time to work on them today...

[african man]

Much easier to work wet wood than dry , I would go with what Pat and Tracy say , and you will be able to start on the bow much sooner ... 

Chris ... 

[richpierce]

It's possible to get belly cracks if you let it dry too quickly.  They don't hurt anyhting but it happens.