Elm Staves

[Don]

I cut a nice straight elm yesterday and split it and sealed the ends.
I was reading in the BB vol.I with white woods
you should remove bark and the inner bark the same time you cut and split.

Is this what everyone else does with there Elm Stave's?

Thanks Don

[Ryano]

If the bark will come off peel it right away, otherwise you'll end up draw knifing it off later.

[Don]

I've also heard. Seal it, don't seal it.
Which one?

Don

[Pat B]

Even if you have to drawknife it off now it would be easier than later. Its probably too late in the year for the bark to just peel off. During the growing season is the time for that.
Even though it might not be necessary with most white woods, I always seal the back and ends with shellac when the bark comes off.     Pat

[Don]

Thanks Guys. All done.
The bark came off slick.
Pealed and sealed.
Looking forward to these, there is only one stave with any knots the other 3 look pretty clean.

Don

[cheapshot]

Pat, how do you remove the shellac without violating the back of the bow?

[welch2]

acetone or paint remover ,,,or leave it as part of the finish .

Ralph

[Pat B]

What Ralph said. Shellac has alcohol as a carrier so denatured alcohol works also. I use spray shellac because of a longer shelf life than the brush on type.       Pat

[shamus]

Check out the latest and last issue of PA. A two-part article there covers what to do, and what NOT to do, with elm.

Be careful with hidden knots.

Shamless plug, I know. 

[cheapshot]

Thanks guys, I have a acess to a hickory tree a friend needs down. I'm hoping to get several staves from this tree, want to get them split, debarked, and sealed in the next few days, so I can have some time to deer hunt.