harvesting lilac?

[bushboy]

Visiting nova scotia in a couple days after 16years away from home!at the old place there are hedge rows of lilac well over 100 years old with very thick butts for the species.knowing this is not the best time to cut ,but it's the only chance I will have for awhile to come.was wondering if anyone has an idea how I should treat this stuff after it's cut.thx's rob!

[BowEd]

Don't know about the lilac in Nova Scotia but here in the states in Iowa anyway it has thin bark.I think I'd just seal the ends and let it dry.Twisting might be an issue I don't know.If you get a whole slue of it let me know I'd like to try it.Trade ya with a stave of some other wood.

[bushboy]

This stuff is about 4" at the butt if I remember correctlly and pretty straight cause it so clumped together,gonna try to get a mother load without knocking down the whole hedge .get's pretty windy down there!

[BowEd]

I see.I've read it likes to split while drying.I think what I'd do is just leave the bark on with that being so thin anyway.Possibly if they are 4" thick you might be able to split it lengthwise.If the bark looks real straight maybe kerf it lengthwise.Let it set then split it to avoid a badly twisted stave.It should dry faster then from the belly side but might split there too.I've never fooled with it.If you get a whole bunch maybe sacrifice one or two to see how it goes.I've looked for it around here at old abandoned farm places etc.but hav'nt seen thick enough trunked stuff to work with.It is tough stuff for sure.I used to make sling shots out of the stuff when I was a kid.

[Pat B]

If you are sure the stalks are not growing with a twist you can saw the poles in half lengthwise. I would seal the ends for sure then bind the two halves back together with spacers between for good air circulation and give them time to dry.
 Have you tried to split a pole yet? You might try that to be sure it is not growing with a twist. With smooth bark trees and shrubs it can be hard to see the twist.

[JacksonCash]

My folks cut down the lilac bush that they had in the cut a couple years ago. Just before I started shooting bows. I really wish they'd have waited a while!

[DuBois]

I harvested some this past spring and it does check easy. Someone on here had a post about wrapping it in plastic for a month or so. I tried that and it helped. Just a nearly sealed wrap to allow slow moisture drop and also sealed ends. Bark still cleaned up easy afterwards and there were no checks.
One accidental thing I thought was really interesting; I cleaned up the back of one 2" stick, sealed the back with shellac, and left the other side of it with bark on. Even after over a month in the plastic it pretty quickly developed checks the length of the stick and they were almost exactly along the line of the remaining bark    It halfway split itself  . I eventually roughed it down to bow shape and it is still a good stave in waiting. Good luck with it. Marco