Beautiful ERC Log - - - Need help prepping it to dry...

[Onebowonder]

For sometime now I have been on a quest to find a straight(er) grained long piece of ERC.  It grows around here, (the Missouri Ozarks), in weed-like abundance, but most of it is VERY twisted up with loads of knots and branches.

Well, I've found what I think is a beautiful piece of wood.  The pix I took earlier didn't come out well enough to use, but I'll take some better ones and post them later tonight. 

What I am needing to know is how to prep this log prior to putting it up to dry and how to eventually turn it into blanks from which to build a few bows.  Straight running pieces of this wood are pretty rare, so I don't want to screw up this one.

1]  Do I need to split the log into staves with mauls and wedges prior to putting it up or leave round till it's dry?  If I do split it up prior to drying, do I need to take any particular precautions to keep it from warping up into curly Q's as it drys?

2]  All ERC has knots, so I wonder if I am better to mill this wood into quartersawn stave blanks or to try and follow the grain by splitting it instead?

3]  ERC is resistent to bugs and rot naturally, so I don't know if I need to put insecticide on it or not?  I guess it can't hurt...

4]  Do I need to seal the ends of the log with Elmer's or latex paint like I was directed to with my hardwood logs some years back?  ...or is ERC different on that point?

5]  Any other tricks or pointers, especially those specific to this wood species, that you have learned through experience?


I am pretty excited to have the chance to work with this log, but I really want to get it right the first time.  I'm counting on the collective expertise of the guys on this forum to help me!

[beetlebailey1977]

I like to seal with Elmers white glue.  I like to split after I cut it, at least into quarters.  I suggest spraying with insecticide or peeling the bark as soon as possible.  On any that I have left the bark the powder post beetles really get into it.  I have tested this a lot.  I cut and peeled several and sealed the back and the ends with Elmers white glue.  I have also used shellac to seal the sapwood after peeling the bark.  I do this when I know I will take the sapwood down to thin it out some.  I have cut, split and sealed the ends and not peeled the bark.  On those I have had the bugs get into them.  They only peel good during the growing season.  If I have left the bark on I spray them with insecticide and have had no problem with bugs.  It can warp some if the stave is very narrow.  With a larger stave it usually wont warp to much.