Author Topic: How long to dry ERC?  (Read 2207 times)

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Offline Springbuck

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How long to dry ERC?
« on: November 16, 2014, 11:46:33 am »
  Usually I'm way past a question like this, but we just cut down a bigger old ERC that grew in the shade leaning out from a house.  I got some fantastic, clean, pretty straight, knotless compression wood billets from the underside, 1-1/2 " x 3"+ x48" and I'm excited to try them with a couple very good QS white oak backings I have.  I intend to try to split/bandsaw each of those once more.

I never have any problem drying wood in Utah, unless I just do it too fast, but this wood feels so dry and light already.  I have done some ERC and juniper bowss, but the ERC came to me dry, and the juniper always got put away for months.  Somebody recommend a drying time to me!   Even in winter indoors or in the garage, I can have white woods good to go in a couple weeks if really reduced, and black locust in a month.

Help me not jump the gun.

Offline TimBo

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Re: How long to dry ERC?
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2014, 02:00:13 pm »
Rats - I was hoping someone gave you an answer by now, because I will be curious about this when I get around to cutting one of the big cedars at my parents' farm.  Have you tried weighing the staves until they stop losing weight? 

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: How long to dry ERC?
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2014, 02:51:58 pm »
At that size and humidity under 50%, Id wait 2-3 months max.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Pat B

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Re: How long to dry ERC?
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2014, 04:03:21 pm »
ERC is a juniper. Junipers virginiana
 You'll get better bow wood if you give it plenty of time to season. In Utah I'd imagine you could dry ERC in a few months.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Springbuck

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Re: How long to dry ERC?
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2014, 05:20:31 pm »
  I'm never organizd enough to follow through with weighing and stuff.  :-[   In Utah, I generally just don't have trouble getting anything dry.

 Every other time I have used ERC or juniper it was left alone a long time, just by default, but I was excited to try this bow.

 So, thanks all.  I'll leave it until late winter

Offline Danzn Bar

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Re: How long to dry ERC?
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2014, 08:27:55 pm »
My ERC was good to go in about 6 months indoors in KY....If you say BL is good to go in month, then I'm with the rest 2-3 months should be plenty... :)
DBar
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking