Apple wood question

[freke]

Hi,
I was harvesting rose shafts when I run into a potential nice branch of a wild apple, it grew on a dying tree is so it makes little difference if I take a part of it, It is about 3" thick - maybe too thin?
My thinking is to take it in the spring when the sap rise and more easily get the bark of,  but what says the experts:) when is the best the best time to cut it, and best way dry it? 

cheers
Jonas

[DC]

Grab it If it's anything like our Pacific Crab it's nice wood. Is it actually wild or just a tame apple gone wild. A feral apple

[freke]

Pyrus malus L. ssp. sylvestris /( we call em "wild" apel and the domestic Äpple in swedish) I think it is, or maybe just an undomesticated apple:)

[Pat B]

Waiting until the leaves come out will insure the bark will slip.
3" should be plenty big enough  for a bow. Apple makes a good bow.

[freke]

Alright Sir, I stay to the plan wait until spring.

How long time take apple to dry?

[Jodocus]

Yeah, younger apple shoots are real good if you can get a straight piece. When it gets older, it tends to have plenty rotten spots within and a snakey grain.

[mikekeswick]

It will check if you look at it wrong! I personally wouldn't want to try and dry it without the bark on. Exposing the full back is asking for trouble. Leave the bark on, seal the ends very well. Reducing the thickness will help as well. How long? At least a year. Apple is first rate bow wood but needs to be treated right and dried slowly.

[Frodolf]

What mike said.

I have no experience from working with apple, but if it is anything like plum – which I suspect – you have to dry it painfully slowly. Otherwise it will crack and check all over. With plum, it's really amazing how easily it cracks. Cut it to almost finished dimensions, leave the bark on, seal the ends completely and oil up the belly and exposed sides with mineral oil. And dry it as slowly as you can. I would cut it now, in the winter, while the wood is as dry as possible to get a good start and dry it outdoors, but under roof and above ground, until temps start to rise in the spring. Then put it indoors in as cool a basement I can find over summer. In a year or so you probably can put it in room temperature for the last stretch.

That's my recipe for plum, as of now. And it rarely works even then, not without at least a little checking. But then again, apple might be a different beast, maybe stronger fiber-to-fiber strength. I don't know.

Good luck! 

[Springbuck]

Do it.  Apple wood has wonderful properties. Its main problem is spiral grain, and small diameter saplings and branches actually help with that.  Harvest when you can easily, but spring might be best.

[freke]

Sounds great to hear its good wood, I have seen some nice bow built in apple so I know it:), but have little experiance but a strong gut feeling it may check badly and the reason why I put the post - I read and listening to all advice.
/Jonas

[vinemaplebows]

Just curious why you would wait till spring? I would cut ASAP, you want slow drying, if you cut now, it will have a slow dry due to the cold. I always wait till dead of winter to cut any hard to dry wood, NEVER in the spring, or summer. Cut split, saw, how ever you treat your log (or branches) seal the end and keep in a dry cool place. In my opinion you will have better success. .02

VMB