Elm as bow wood, plus splitting and seasoning.

[munkinstein]

So There is a huge american elm, or slippery elm, I'll figure out the ID tomorrow when it is light, on my in-laws property.  I'm thinking of taking a limb, or one of the smaller saplings and making my first stave bow from this wood, once it has seasoned.  There is also a pignut hickory, a zillion black locust trees and a mulberry that I could use, but that is another post.  any body have any experience with these woods?  Anyway I know from experience that elm is a pain in the arse to split, could I just run it through a saw instead to get a few staves from it?  If not, why is it better to split?  Does it hold onto it's moisture for a long time?  I figure I could season it in the garage for about a year before using it.  anyway , as always thanks for you help!

[Joec123able]

First off every one of those woods are awesome bow woods second DO NOT use a saw to split your staves because when you split it with wedges it follows the grain if you just saw straight down it you will cut straight through the natural grain which will likely cause you problems later

[adb]

Elm is good bow wood. Very tension strong. It's a sum-bitch to split, however. You can cut a shallow kerf with a skil saw if you're good with it and you're careful. About a 1/2" deep. The kerf creates a weak spot and gives the log somewhere to split.

[blackhawk]

I've used all those woods and all will make a fine bow...If your allowed, cut as many of the cleanest straightest grained trees you can regardless of the four species you mentioned...and I kerf cut my elm to start my splits(just make sure  you know how to read the grain and its running almost straight at the least)...but most any other species I split because I want it to follow the true grain of the wood....


Oh....and you don't have to wait a year...you can reduce some staves down to near bow dimension(just bending a few inches n no more on the floor) and set em aside to quick dry in the right environment and be making a bow with it a month later easy

[Scallorn]

I have used elm, when I tried to split it I improvised with my machete and hammered it in with a sledge hammer. I wouldn't recomend this method though, it took me a few hours to do . I would use wedges.

[Marc St Louis]

I kerf and split practically every tree I cut.  Elm though I will kerf but I do not split right away as I have had too many of them warp on me as they dry.  I keep the log whole after I cut the kerfs and let it dry for a year them I finish splitting, the kerfs allow the log to dry much faster.  I cut the kerfs as deep as my circular saw will allow. 

[munkinstein]

I've used all those woods and all will make a fine bow...If your allowed, cut as many of the cleanest straightest grained trees you can regardless of the four species you mentioned...and I kerf cut my elm to start my splits(just make sure  you know how to read the grain and its running almost straight at the least)...but most any other species I split because I want it to follow the true grain of the wood....


Oh....and you don't have to wait a year...you can reduce some staves down to near bow dimension(just bending a few inches n no more on the floor) and set em aside to quick dry in the right environment and be making a bow with it a month later easy

I harvested the hickory today.  I'll probably get two usable bows out of it.  there are some knots, but they shouldn't be an issue.  The wood is nice and straight though.  I'll get some pictures up soon enough and get opinions regarding the staves.  Quick question, I'm going to get the staves into a rough bow like shape, and then let them dry out, do I still have to seal the wood to prevent checking?

[Thesquirrelslinger]

I actually hand split elm with wedges and a sledge.
I have gotten wedges stuck in 6 inch logs, had to let them sit a bit, then pound the c*** out of them to move them. one hard blow with a 5 pound mini-sledge(in a 6 inch log) usually moves the wedge approximately 3/4 inch. Locust, on the other hand, moves about 4 inches.
All of those are good bow woods. Split and peel the bark(except the locust, just split it) and then let it season for a week or so to get rid of quite a bit of moisture(it will likely warp less this way) then cut it to stave form(so it bends about 4 inches floor tillered) and then let it sit for a month or so. That should bring the moisture down to a nice 7-12%.
Then make stuff out of it. Elm is incredibly strong in tension... it is also hard to work. Tempered elm...

[munkinstein]

I actually hand split elm with wedges and a sledge.
I have gotten wedges stuck in 6 inch logs, had to let them sit a bit, then pound the c*** out of them to move them. one hard blow with a 5 pound mini-sledge(in a 6 inch log) usually moves the wedge approximately 3/4 inch. Locust, on the other hand, moves about 4 inches.
All of those are good bow woods. Split and peel the bark(except the locust, just split it) and then let it season for a week or so to get rid of quite a bit of moisture(it will likely warp less this way) then cut it to stave form(so it bends about 4 inches floor tillered) and then let it sit for a month or so. That should bring the moisture down to a nice 7-12%.
Then make stuff out of it. Elm is incredibly strong in tension... it is also hard to work. Tempered elm...

I was surprised at how well the hickory bark came off.  I used a tiny two inch pen knife to make a small incision and then peeled it off like a sock.  I will be harvesting the elm, which I have found is an American elm, tomorrow.  I need a chainsaw.  The handsaw which I used on the hickory won't cut it.  I't will take me a few hours.

[anasazi]

Wouldnt making that cut ( kerf)  defeat the purpose of splitting the wood since you are cutting through the grain and same with cutting the bows shape?  I understand that you dont want the grain to run out on a diagonal.
Just trying to understand

[munkinstein]

Wouldnt making that cut ( kerf)  defeat the purpose of splitting the wood since you are cutting through the grain and same with cutting the bows shape?  I understand that you dont want the grain to run out on a diagonal.
Just trying to understand

I did that today, with the hickory.  cut about 1/4 inch deep in a few spots.  I split the log with a hatch and a 5 lb mallet.  Surprisingly the wood split were it wanted to split, even with the kerf, I though similarly to you at the start.  This was with hickory though and not elm, how elm would act, with its interlocking grain is unknown to me at least.

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Wouldnt making that cut ( kerf)  defeat the purpose of splitting the wood since you are cutting through the grain and same with cutting the bows shape?  I understand that you dont want the grain to run out on a diagonal.
Just trying to understand

With elm, it is very unlikely to explode on a minor grain violation. It has extreme interlocking grain.
As long as the run-off isn't too severe, I assume it would be OK.