Author Topic: Quick drying (Read 6692 times)

Kegan · « **on:** June 03, 2008, 07:31:44 pm »

If you reduce the bow stave from green wood to 1 5/8" wide over the full length, 74" long, 7/8" thick at the fades and 7/16" thick at the tips, for a bow about that size (slightly smaller), would it check with woods like Locust and Osage? Or would it have to be thinner to not check without shellac? A friend might be able to get me some locust, but I don't have any sealer. Would I just be best leaving the whole log, bark and all, to dry for a few months first and then rough it out like a normal stave?

Justin Snyder · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2008, 08:35:39 pm »

Do you have any wood glue or Elmer's glue? You need to seal the ends of the log and split it. If you reduce to near bow dimensions you will still need to seal the back. Justin

Kegan · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2008, 09:04:08 pm »

Okay. I believe it was in an article by Tim Baker that said something about drying like that, so I wondered if it would work. Thanks for saving me from killing perfectly good wood

!

Justin Snyder · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2008, 09:15:09 pm »

I have never played with BL so I make no promises. But in my experience with mulberry or Osage it needs the back and ends sealed. Justin

Mattco · « **Reply #4 on:** June 03, 2008, 09:42:50 pm »

I haven't tried fast drying with locust - but I have taken green mockernut & shagbark hickory, cut it to bow shape - air dry for two weeks - put it in my dry box for two weeks & take it down to 6% moisture with no sealant. The staves are taped to forms in the dry box - no checks or cracks - most of my hickory bows are in the 50 lb range - longbow & static recurve. This procedure has also been successful with one elm static recurve.

ricktrojanowski · « **Reply #5 on:** June 03, 2008, 10:10:21 pm »

I've quick dried B.L. pretty easily. I roughed it out to near bow dimensions. Rough shaped the handle,left the widest part of the limb about 1 3/4" to about 1" at the tips. Then left the limb thickness to about 3/4" the whole length. Shelac the back and belly and leave the edges dry. Then left it to air dry about 2 wks and then put in the hot box. Starting at about 85 degrees and slowly raising the temp over a period of a few weeks, until dry. Just keep an eye on the humidity as you raise the temp.

Pappy · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2008, 05:53:32 am »

What justin and others said,with white wood you can get by with it [sometimes]but
not BL or Osage.

Pappy

Hillbilly · « **Reply #7 on:** June 04, 2008, 08:53:04 am »

Yep. I've checked the bejeezus out of locust before by drying it quick without sealing it, but a quarter's worth of elmer's glue will fix the problem.

Hickory will usually dry fine without checking, but I've also ruined slippery elm, osage, and mulberry by force-drying without sealing it.

DCM · « **Reply #8 on:** June 04, 2008, 10:06:47 am »

Obviously it depends upon how diry it is. I've been lucky about no sealing the backs but I live in a very humid climate. It's usually the handles, naturally thicker, that check on me, usually when I first intoduce the hot box. Lots of options for sealing the back, and cheap insurance.

Kegan · « **Reply #9 on:** June 04, 2008, 03:44:15 pm »

I've quick dried tons of white woods, all without any bad checking- oak being the only one to show any signs at all. Good to know that you can't do that with locust and the like before actually ruinging a good piece of wood. Thanks everyone

!

david w. · « **Reply #10 on:** June 04, 2008, 03:58:26 pm »

are you gonna reduce the osage too?

Justin Snyder · « **Reply #11 on:** June 04, 2008, 09:36:31 pm »

Quote from: Hillbilly on June 04, 2008, 08:53:04 am

Yep. I've checked the bejeezus out of locust before by drying it quick without sealing it, but a quarter's worth of elmer's glue will fix the problem. Hickory will usually dry fine without checking, but I've also ruined slippery elm, osage, and mulberry by force-drying without sealing it.

Boy you buy the expensive stuff.

It seems to me that white glue is so cheap it doesn't even make sense to try to force dry white wood without sealing the back.

Justin

Hillbilly · « **Reply #12 on:** June 05, 2008, 07:50:05 am »

Justin, I'm a wealthy so-fis-tee-cated feller, I went out and dropped a whole $1.99 on one of those big industrial-sized jugs of real Elmer's. My spoiled snobby staves deserve better than common Sam's Choice glue.

Pappy · « **Reply #13 on:** June 05, 2008, 07:58:54 am »

I use the cheap Elmer's glue also,I cut it a little with water,that is when I can't rob
the Polly from Joanie's stash.If I plan on steaming I use Polly if not I use cheap glue.
Justin you are right [For once]

just kidding ,it ant worth the chance.I use to not seal the back of white wood but had a bad experience a few years back,don't know what happened but checked a bunch of choice Hickory ,so now we seal it all.

Just ant worth the risk.

Pappy

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #14 on:** June 05, 2008, 12:50:52 pm »

BL trees starts to check before they hit the ground.

Jawge

Primitive Archer