Smooth bark hickory

[hedgehog]

My neighbor came by the house and said he had a smooth bark Hickory log for me. Well, I have made Osage bows for more than 30 years and have no idea where to begin with this 16"x8' log. I would assume I split it into staves and seal the ends like I would normally do. does that sound correct?
Also, do I debark now or can I leave the bark on like I have always done my Osage?
I am surprised that the white wood looks to be a good inch thick so do I build a smooth bark Hickory like I would a shagbark? Thanks for any help I can get.

[PatM]

Most hickory is quite similar.  Split it and get it  drying. You won't have much luck peeling the bark if it was cut recently.

[Drewster]

Hedgehog, yes you definitely need to go ahead and split your log into staves.  Seal the ends well with shellac, glue or paint.  I assume the log was recently cut.  If so, the bark will be tight on the log and you'll have to get it off with a draw knife or similar tool.  If the bark is really thick, I have trimmed some of it off with my band saw, but be careful and make sure you don't cut into the sapwood.  The first ring will typically be the back of your bow.  I have made bows from hickory heartwood from large trees but the sapwood is generally considered the better bow wood.

Insects can attach the bark pretty quickly in warmer weather.  If you need to store the staves outside, I would remove the bark before spring or spray the bark with an insecticide periodically.  Borers will ruin a good stave in a hurry.  Perhaps over the next few months you can get the bark off and move the staves indoors for further seasoning.

Smooth bark hickory, ie. mockernut, pignut bitternut etc. is usually considered slightly better than shagbark hickory for bows.  You may not be able to tell much difference though.  I have worked both.  Good luck.  Hope that log will yield some nice staves for you.

[hedgehog]

Can I put it in a hot box to speed dry or is it like Osage and will check badly?

[Dances with squirrels]

I collected these two yesterday. I'm hoping to get some of each, boards and staves.

[hedgehog]

Lookin good! How long do you figure the staves will need to dry?

[Danzn Bar]

IMHO...hickory takes a while to dry/season.....fresh cut hickory in the spring/summer when the bark will slip ....peeled bark. I seal the ends and back. The back of the bow would be under the bark.  A stave 2-3" wide across the back.... indoors (heat and air) I think would take at least a year to dry to bow building dryness..8% or less MC. if you reduced the stave to bow dimensions it could dry a few months quicker.
Hope this helps..
DBar

[Drewster]

Yes, you can definitely dry it faster in a hot box.......BUT, I would not put it in a hot box if the wood has been freshly cut.  How long has that log been down?  If it has been freshly cut, I would split it into staves and then seal the ends.  Put them outside in a covered, protected place where they can get good air flow for several weeks.  Then bring them inside and let them continue to dry for a few more weeks. 

Once they have dried about a month or six weeks, then you can put them in your hot box.  I would start at about 80° and keep your relative humidity about 40% for starters.  Weigh your staves and see how quickly the weight drops.  Raise the temp every week or so until you get to 100°+.  Print off a wood equilibrium moisture content chart and you can determine the moisture content of your staves.  A $10.00 hygrometer from Lowes will help immensely.  If done carefully, you should have a good, dry stave in 60-70 days.  Hickory doesn't give up moisture easily for those last percentages.......and you probably know that hickory needs to be 6-8% MC to make a good bow.

[Lumberman]

^Word Drewster 

[Stick Bender]

I have a red hickory stave thats only off the stump 5 weeks  at 2 weeks pulled the bark off and I mean just put draw knife under it & pulled it off By hand clean , I shelacked the back & ends at 3 weeks took it down to a ruff bow & tiller now Im force drying above a heater vent in my house 2 weeks & it is very dry & strait  I figure another 2 weeks it will be good this stave was soaking wet when I got it.

[George Tsoukalas]

Seal the ends, split it, and get the bark off. If it is cemented to the back, get close with your draw knife and scrape the rest off.

You can take a stave and bring it to floor tiller getting the limbs to bend a few inches and then let put it aside to dry.

My last hickory stave/ bow began to show some drying cracks probably because I placed it to close to some heat even though the stave was about 3 years old.. So watch your stave closely.

If it starts to show drying cracks, sand it, stain it and poly it.

Jawge

[alcot]

My humble experience with hickory is that it takes forever to dry.I cut some and after a year the quarter logs were still  not dry. I then shaped some blanks to 1" x 2" and put them up in the garage attic with a fan blowing over them. By the end of the summer most of them were corkscrews,  I'll never do that again. What I salvaged was still not dry  this winter. Then I got the bright idea to bring a stave into the Sahara dry,  forced air furnace house and I tell you it dried right out. Brought the bow in every night after working on it and it works like a charm.

[hedgehog]

Thanks all. After reading all of your comments and suggestions I will allow the wood to dry slowly rather than use a hotbox. It seems like I should treat it similar to the way I always have my Freshly cut Osage. The difference being that I am going to remove the bark from the Hickory and seal the back with Tightbond III. You have helped me alot. I will let you know how this works for me and post pics of the weapons produced. Thanks Again bow brothers.