monster ocean spray

[danlaw]

I cut this piece on my father-in-law's woodlot in Sooke, Vancouver Island (BC). Original length was over 24'. I got a fantasticly clear 7' length above this piece. This piece was 94" but I cut the butt off as it was a little gnarly (4+" diameter). What I have left is 66" long and averages 3" diameter the length. I've cut hundreds of OS staves and this really blew me away. I cut another branch a hundred feet from this one that gave me two beauty staves as well (not as thick though).  I'll have to do something special with this one. Ill post pics as I go.

[Don Case]

I guess you can't really make a much better bow out of a 3" piece than a 2.5" piece but it does seem extra special. You could probably make an awesome longbow out of the 7' length. Whatever you do, good luck, hope it goes well.

[Don Case]

Hey Dan If you've collected hundreds of OS staves would you mind sharing your seasoning techniques with us? I've been using SteveB's "exposing the pith" method on the last few staves with good success. I debark, expose the pith and apply a couple of coats of shellac. Two on the back and ends and one on the belly. I'm leaving the heartwood exposed on a couple of staves as I think the key is getting the heartwood to dry as fast or faster than the sapwood.  On a couple of billets instead of slicing the handle to expose the pith I used a long drill bit and drilled out the pith. So far no checking. Drilling the pith out on a stave is more difficult and I'm going to weld a 3/16" drill on a 3' x1/8" welding rod and use that. At least up here we have the RH on our side, you more than me. You can't get higher humidity than rain, can you?
Thanks and Merry Christmas
Don

 

[danlaw]

Here's what I do. Did these just before Christmas. Just rough in the limbs [super rough], wrap with painter's tape. Spend ten minutes a stave tops. Works for me. Hmmm my pic is right side up on my computer but sideways here. needs a good neck twist to see it right. 

[Don Case]

You didn't happen to take any pictures showing how rough did you? Did you rough it down to the pith?
Thanks for this
Don

[danlaw]

This is an old picture - it's a piece of Mock Orange but you get the idea. If I'm doing a a bunch I generally just drag each limb over the jointer a few times. Its not very primitive but it gets the wood off and allows the wood to dry in the right direction.