Green wood

[DC]

Does anyone know if steamed green wood is any more or less stable than steamed dry wood? I'm not just talking about springback, something in the back of my mind thinks that, over time, green wood is more likely to creep back to it's original shape.

[Pat B]

Actually, by steaming green wood you help to dry it out. That is a good time to shape the blank. Once the wood is completely dry(seasoned) it really shouldn't matter if it was green or seasoned as long as it is well seasoned when the stressing is done.

[simson]

As Pat said. Steaming green wood can cause tremendous cracks because of sudden drying.

[crooketarrow]

  Dos'nt anyone work ther staves when cut and green.

   I either rachet each stave down to the floor between 2 saw horse's. Thie way you can add all the deflex you want.

   It I wantto flip the tips I cut ot down to bow from. I had molds I can been the tips while green. When ever I hav a bow with the tips fliped I go get it out of my mold.

  I've been doing this for 15 years. This way you never have to usr any heat or steam. When to heat any wood you change the woods cell structer.

  Leting the green stave in the mold as long as you want.

   Anytime you heat or steam your just guessing if you don't use a mold. While doing it.

  Green wood will fex back, SO YOU HAVE TO GUESS HOW MUCH TO OVER BEEN.

  Dry wood stays the same heated with dry heat or steam.

  STEAM ON GREEN WOOD.

  DRY HEAT ON SEASONED WOOD.

[bradsmith2010]

yes I work green staves,, sometimes I dont have a green stave and work seasoned wood,, either is ok for me,,, if I want to heat reflex into a seasoned stave,, I usually  tiller it backwards and heat the belly till it holds the shape I want,, and think a form would give more consistent results or quicker results, but I enjoy heating the reflex in like that,also when the bow is tillered even backwards, the taper is pretty even when you start to tiller the bow,, ,, I also think heat treating the belly can add to the woods performance in some woods,, as it does change the structure of the belly wood in a good way,, when done correctly

[riverrat]

"Dos'nt anyone work ther staves when cut and green.", yes i do. i split, seal ends let set a week, take off bark ruff out, let set two weeks, shape and tiller until its perfect.if i notice the wood is still heavier than normal {not dry} i wait a little longer.but thats how i do it. green wood especially elm or locust just dont shave nicely too green.not for me anyhow. Tony

[Pappy]

I work green wood now and then, not near as much as I use to because I have seasoned wood ,but did 2 Elm green ,fresh off the stump a couple of months ago. I just roughed them out close to bow dimensions and clamped them to a form for a few weeks ,then took them off/thinned them a bit more and put them back on the form for a few more weeks. They dry quick that way. The form keeps them from twisting and also added the reflex. Works great if you have the room. On the question on steaming or dry heat ,I use the rule [just my rule] anything less than 2 years old I use steam first and dry heat to tweak if needed, over 2 years I use dry heat only unless I am doing some extreme bending with the tips or something like that and then I always seal at least the back.
 Pappy