Hickory wood harvest.

[Arrowbuster]

  Hi all I am new here and I have a newbie question. I am wanting to build my first selfbow and thanks to everyone on heres advice I am going with hickory. Here is my question. A buddy of mine is doing some clearing and he took down a small hickory and saved it for me. The tree was cut down Monday. I will not be able to get it until Saturday. That is my question, am I setting myself up for failure collecting staves that will have set for a week unsealed? tree still has the bark on. Sorry for such a greenhorn question.

[Drewster]

You should be fine since it will only be five days.  You may have to trim a few inches off the ends to get to unchecked wood again, but cut the trunk to the rough lengths you want, split into staves, peel the bark and seal the backs and ends with two coats of shellac.....you should be good to go.  Store the staves outside, but under cover out of the sun for a few weeks and you'll be on your way.  Good luck and have fun.

[Pappy]

What Drew said, I don't like to leave white wood out in the weather long but a few days shouldn't hurt it. It may make the bark a little harder to slip as it should peel pretty easy this time of year.
   Pappy

[bowandarrow473]

Pappy is right, a few days wont hurt it at all.

[Arrowbuster]

  Thanks guys for the info.