chokecherry seasoning/drying

[cubdrvr]

    I harvested a 4" diameter chokecherry stave 3 days ago.  I am planning a sinew backed 62-64" 55-60# stiff handle bow.  I am leaning toward decrowning the back.  I used glue to seal the ends.  I am thinking of splitting and decrowning right away to speed drying.  Looking for advice as whether this will work. thanks

[NTProf]

I made a bow out of chokecherry. I cut it down to bow size, left the limbs full width (also clamped it to a board to prevent warping) and floor tillered it. Then put it aside to dry. It was dry in a few weeks and made a fine bow. I still have it.

[cubdrvr]

thanks, that was what I was hoping.  I also, as you suggested, plan on clamping to keep straight.

[NTProf]

I did not even seal the ends, because I debarked it and cut it down to bow size the day I cut it. But it is probably better to be safe and seal the ends as you did anyway.

[Cameroo]

Sounds a lot like mine, I think it was about 4" across.  I cut it about a month and a half ago, roughed out with a hatchet, and it has been drying in the basement stairwell since.  It has some natural reflex, and hasn't gone terribly snakey on me yet, despite not clamping it down.  The curves in it that you see were already in the grain when I roughed it out.  I plan on making a holmie/molle type bow when it's dry.  I think that I'll probably have to decrown it as well, to keep the width that I'll need.