First time bowyer. Need suggestions / advice

[EVanatta]

I found a downed white oak tree ( I believe ) in my neighborhood.  So I instantly had the idea to teach my son something and myself along the way.  My wife's family is Comanche and actually direct bloodline with the last chief of the tribe.  My son is his great x4 grandson of Quannah Parker.  Anyhow.  I've never made a bow before and I'm still collecting up some tools and such.  The log I have isn't exactly perfect I know from reading other threads but I wanted to ask the experts.  What kinda bow should I attempt to make given this log.  It has a bend in the middle just over half way.  I've added a picture with all of the measurements.  The log itself is still quite wet and hasn't dried out all the way yet.  I have just pealed off the bark and painted the ends in enamel paint to prevent cracking.  Any and all advice would be helpful.

Thanks

[George Tsoukalas]

You said "diameter". Did you mean circumference? It doesn't look like a 15 in diameter log.   How long was the wood down before you brought it in?
My site has info. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/layout.html

[EVanatta]

Yes circumference is what it should say.  The log itself has probably been down now for about 5 weeks.  I just cut the bark off today.  You can still feel the moisture in the log by touch.  I live in northern Alabama and so far this year the humidity has been pretty high.  I've been keeping the log in my garage to keep it away from pests and such.

[DarkSoul]

You need to split that log A.S.A.P! If you leave it in the round, it will split and crack terribly within days. Use an old axe and/or some (wooden or metal) wedges to split the log lengthwise, along the pith. The best wood will come from the right side, as in the picture. The left halve will have a huge knot at that kink; this halve is probably not useable, but that's hard to judge from here, when the log isn't split. Luckily, that knot will be in the handle area, so you can leave this stiff.

[Hrothgar]

As DarkSoul said, you need to get your log split. White oak, especially wet , is going to want to split and twist. It might be a good idea to paint the back of the staves also so as to slow down the drying/cracking. If the tree standing or caught in another tree the wood is likely still good. If it has been lying on the ground the woods could be working on it already. Either way, I would give it a try. After a month or so you can start roughing it out. Good luck.

[EVanatta]

Ok so just to make sure I got this right.  as in the picture above I should split the log as show down the middle or should I turn it and split right through the bend?  The tree was still "hanging" when this log was cut from it.  It was not resting on the ground.  Also as I don't have an axe or wedges to split the log can I safely just cut it in half using a saw of some kind?

[Hrothgar]

From what I can see of the picture, you should split it down the middle as you suggested. In other words--so the handle will be set back and the tips will be curved out, away from the handle. You will need to split rather than cut this log so that the grain isn't violated. If you can locate even a hatchet and a sledge hammer these tools will work, along will a couple 1" by 2" pieces of scrap boards or lumber for wedges. Use the wedges to hold the split open as you gradually split the log with the hatchett. It works, just go slow and follow the grain.

[EVanatta]

So I've split the logs and now I feel I have totally terrible staves.  They seem to me too wavy and hilly.  I don't even know if those are the correct terms to use.  Would I be better off to saw this staves just under where the large kink in the wood is and attempt to make really short bows?

If the pictures are in same order as I uploaded them It will be a pic of the belly side of the wood, then a pic of the back side, a side view of the half with a large kink, then the other without it, then a view down the length of the kinked half, then a view down the other half.

[Newindian]

The word your looking for is "caracter" and almost every bow will have some and it can actually make a bow a looker , the kink shouldn't make a difference as long as the string bisects the handle. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

[TBod]

That is two good staves in my book. You can start roughing the bows out right away. Then they dry faster but don't bend them before it's dry. Takes about one week to dry a roughed out bow if you keep it inside. 
Good luck!

[blackhawk]

Shapes look fine to me...might just need a lil tweakinng with a heat gun to line the string thru the handle n reflex em a lil.....my only concern i see is how far did you tear into that first ring? I still see some cambium on that needs removed,and i see some of the white ring which is the back hacked into a lil

[EVanatta]

I was just trying to get the bark off for the wood to dry.  I still need to find a ring and follow it.  Seems like a lot of work for me but I have a ton of time.  only tools I have at the moment are a pull knife and a hatchet as I'm on a very limited budget.  Thanks for all the information.  This will be a very long build as I don't want to totally screw this up but that is probably going to happen any way as fate will have it being my first attempt at making a bow.  My son however enjoys all of the laughing at daddy as he beats up his fingers by dropping the staves on it and cursing the wood when I can't figure out what to do next LOL.  I'll post more pictures in a couple more weeks as I make progress.  Slow and steady.

[blackhawk]

The easy/nice thing about whitewoods is that you dont have to chase a ring man....peel the bark n cambium n presto thats the back of your bow....in most circumstances you dont need to chase a ring......so next time be a lil more careful peeling it to save yourself some work......if cut in the spring n summer then the bark will peel as easy as a bannana peel