When to cut hickory

[chuckp]

There are a few nice straight hickory trees I have may eyes on. Is there any reason not to cut and split them for staves now. I heard that springtime may be better cause the bark will peel off easier.

[yazoo]

the bark will peel off very easy this spring, but there is more chance of drying checks,,cut now less chance of checks but the bark will need to be scraped off,,  mike

[George Tsoukalas]

Spring as yazoo said. Jawge

[Simple Hunter]

I have done it both ways.It depends on whether you want to start now or if you can wait to start the bow.It is a little more work to take the bark off of winter cut but I usually like to leave some cambium on winter cut.The little work on taking the bark off doesn't bother me.

[Pappy]

I cut it in the Spring,Taking the bark off dose bother me. I also seal the back after I remove the bark and dry it off.I just use  cheap wood glue cut with water to seal. 
     Pappy

[chuckp]

Pappy, you say seal the back, do you mean the ends to prevent checking, or the entire back of the bow,(bark side)?

[Pappy]

When I cut it in the spring I seal the back also.Some don't seal white wood but I have had some check before and it ant worth the chance ,so I seal it.I will leave it in pretty big stave's for a month or so the split it down to smaller size,this way it won't warp and twist as it dries.If you want to make a bow quick out of it cut it on down to bow size and clamp it to a board or something while it begins to dry that will keep it fairly straight,anything else you can take out with a heat gun.I have built them from standing tree to bow with Hickory in a little over a month,you just have to be a little more careful and you thin it down.
   Pappy

[George Tsoukalas]

I've never cut hickory as I don't see much this way but have been given hickory staves with the bark still on and dry. Removing it is tough but can be done. Then I got some spring cut hickory and the bark just popped off. That's true of most whitewoods. I usually stain hickory. Those of you who seal the back what you seal it with? Jawge

[Pappy]

I use  brush on Polly or cheap wood glue cut with water. I use to never seal Hickory but had some check a few years ago so now I don't that the chance.
   Pappy

[chuckp]

How will the green hickory dry if you seal the back and the ends?

[jthompson1995]

You leave the belly unsealed and the moisture slowly works its way out through the belly. The key here is slow, that way it is less likely to crack.

If the belly cracks a little you will most likely remove the cracks while tillering, cracks on the back wouldn't be removed.

[Pappy]

What he jt said.
   Pappy

[straightarrow]

I cut some shagbark in December and the bark came off very easily. That might be a different story with mockernut or pignut though. I sealed the ends with elmers glue and left the bark on. I noticed the wood was starting to check pretty bad, (2 weeks ago)  so I roughed out most of the staves. stripped the bark and sealed the back with elmers glue. I roughed them out to floor tiller and clamped them to a board to take some twists out and prevent any further twisting. I have four more to go.........I did this because I thought I was going to lose them all to checking. Most of staves had a propellar twist and after drying a little are now perfectly straight. I may quick dry all shagbark like this now. The wood was very easy to work with being green. The last one I roughed out took me a 1 1/2 hrs.

[profsaffel]

Those of you who seal the back what you seal it with? Jawge

A lot of people splash on a light coat of shellac, I've used some old varnish, but often times I do like Pappy said and use watered down Elmers glue.

[chuckp]

O.k. so springtime cut it is. I'll peel the bark and paint the back, and ends with watered down elmers. The drying will come slowly from the belly.
Clamping down to a straight board will help to prevent twisting.
Got it, thanks everybody!