ILEX

[simk]

Today I think I was a lucky man when I found this proper knot-free 80" stave of Ilex.

Does anyone know this wood and is it hard or easy to season regarding to drying checks. The wood is very wet

[I had to cut it this time of the year as the goats were in that little wood last year and ate all the bark of all the smaller trees - it was about to die anyway]

Thanx for advice.

   

[Pat B]

I believe Ilex(hollies) will easily check. I'd seal then well, ends and back and shape as a bow cutting out the limbs on the belly side. You might also want to bind them to a 2x4 to prevent warping, twisting and gaining too much reflex. You should be able to add reflex later if you wanted to.

[simk]

Thx Pat B. I will do like that 

[Pat B]

When you reduce the belly side get below the pith(center) or it will check there.

[DC]

I tried one and it tied itself in a knot when it dried but it was already twisted pretty well when I cut it. It was unusable. So like Pat says, tie it down.

[simk]

Lot,s a work to do it seems - somtimes in life there is no choice - never ever seen such an ilex - usually they grow as a shrub of branches here

[TorstenT]

I have several of those thorny bastards growing in my garden - I didn’t even know that Ilex is usable as bow wood. I’m looking forward to see, what you’ll create from this stave.
Good luck! 

Grüße aus Berlin! 
Torsten

[stuckinthemud]

Ilex is a great bow wood, if it does warp when drying, it responds very well to heat straightening, also it heat tempers really well too.  It can have interlocking grain so can be a royal pain to cleave.

[Pat B]

Torsten, I think you are confusing Ilex (holly)with something else. I've never seen thorns on any hollies, only spines on the leaves of some like the American holly. All hollies have serrated leaves but only the American holly has a spine on each serration.

[simk]

I'll fetch it tomorrow with the trailer, pass a good bandsaw @ clamp 'em down. Hope the wood is still good, as you can see those dumb goats have eaten the bark quite clean from most of the stave and I could already see fine drying checks on the outer ring. Pic 2 + 3 are from not so nice pieces farther up... Cheers 

[Pat B]

How long has it been on the ground? Doesn't take whitewoods long to be infected by fungi.

[TorstenT]

@Pat B
We have European Ilex (Ilex aquifolium) here in Germany. It has much more pronounced points on its leaves, than the American variant (Ilex opaca). ‘Thorns’ is probably the wrong term for those points - but whatever they’re called, the really are nasty! 
Here’s a pic from one in my garden

[Pat B]

That looks very much like American holly. 
How long was it on the ground? That's more important than thorns. 

[simk]

OK, did the bandsaw-job and have a few staves and billets now.

Pat: The wood has never been laying on the ground - i cut it yesterday - but it was standing in rain and weather without bark on the first 60" for 6 months or so - the goats can eat the bark that high up as they stand on their rear legs...

Are those staves still worth the work? Where there was no more bark, the wood has few little checks and there's a brown-red-grey layer in that wood, about 3/4" deep... (pic2&3). On pic 4 you see a good one.

I reduced the staves to 2" width and thickness now....would that be good or do I have to make'm even thinner?

Many thanks!

EDIT: Torsten, I think there are plenty of ilex-varieties if you look wikipedia...further there are lots of special breedings for garden decoration. Cheers to Berlin! 

Cheers

[Pat B]

Be sure to let us know how it works out, Torsten.