Last Weekend's Haul

[Jon Kaw]

I was clearing a fence row last weekend and had to take down a elm whose trunk had a straight section.  Ended up with 4 staves.  The grain is a little wavy, but I think they will suffice.


Should I strip the bark and seal the back now or wait?

[PEARL DRUMS]

Might scare you if you see what's under that bark

[ksnow]

I would strip and seal now.  Bugs like bark. 

Kyle Snow

[osage outlaw]

Did you split those staves or cut them? 

[Jon Kaw]

I attempted to split them first but they didn't seem to want to split straight so I cut them.

[Aaron H]

Following the grain is a very important step in the self bow process, and when splitting logs into staves the split wants to naturally follow the grain. The split was following the grain from the looks of the pictures, you just have a very twisted gnarly trunk.  Best just to find a different log to work with.

[Jon Kaw]

Firewood it is. The split wanted to follow the around the growth ring, looking like it would eventually just separate the entire circumference of the ring.  That's when I came up with the bright idea cutting the stave.  Oh well, live and learn. 

[osage outlaw]

Elm can be a nightmare to split.  The last one I split was about a 10" diameter log.  It took 4 guys about an hour to get it split into 4 staves.  3 of us were bleeding by the time we were done. 

Trees have grain lines that run with the length of the wood.  When you split out staves it will usually follow the grain.  If the grain zig zags back and forth that will be what your stave looks like.  The finished bow will have that same shape.  If you try to cut straight staves out of wavy or twisted grained logs you will be cutting through the grain.  You will lose the strength of the wood.  Now if you find a perfectly straight grained log you can saw it into staves.  Check out this post from last year.  It has some pictures of what can happen when the grain wasn't followed. 

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,56736.0.html

[Jon Kaw]

Thanks for the link and education.  The elm was definitely tougher than the osage I've split. 

[Jim Davis]

I only cut straight smooth elm. And I never split it. I always use the chain saw. With straight elm, there is enough interlocking of the grain to not worry about side run-out. Have never had a failure.

I would only cut a gnarly elm to get  it out of the way.

[bjrogg]

I agree with Jim. If your staves where straight and smooth it would have been ok to rip them with the saw. Those staves look pretty gnarly and probably not bow material anyway. I do split most of my staves if they are easier type woods. Sometimes I will still rip one to get two and use my draw knife to follow grain when I'm roughing out my bow.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Really the only way made easier to split an elm log by hand is to do it when it is at least 15 to 20 below 0 Farenhiet.All wood splits easier then.Even the Y's.I've kept my place warm with elm for quite some time.Hand splitting everything I burn.

[Joec123able]

Thanks for the link and education.  The elm was definitely tougher than the osage I've split.

Osage is probably one of the easiest woods to split I think. It's tough but easy to split somehow.

[Greenriverwoodcraft]

Elm is the worst to split.  I only cut straight trees that will most likely be fine if they are sawn rather than split. 

[osage outlaw]

Thanks for the link and education.  The elm was definitely tougher than the osage I've split.

Osage is probably one of the easiest woods to split I think. It's tough but easy to split somehow.

A clean osage log splits pretty easy most of the time.  I've had straight grained osage trees that split like elm.  It had the interlocking fibers.  I gave up on one log.  I couldn't get a wedge started at all.  I cut it to fit behind the wheel wells in my truck bed.  I use it for winter weight.  Hackberry splits super easy.