Black locust - 2 questions

[Jjpso]

Hello there!

After a lot of searching, i finnaly found a Black locust tree that i could get without getting in trouble!
Its around 10 cm diameter (4 inches)with the sapwood still on.  it will be 3 inches without sapwood and 1st earthwood ring.

Do you think i could try to split it to get 2 staves, or should i saw it? The log is preatty straight, but i am afraid to ruin ir trying to split it, since it took a lot of searching to find  this tree...

Also...

This tree was in a forest that got burnt 2 or 3 years ago, the bark is still on but burnt, and it doesnt seems like the fire got deep in the wood
The sap wood is rotten but the earthwood looks good, and it has 1/4" rings, and a good relation  early/late wood.
Do you guys think its ok to use wood that got burn? Has anyone tried it?
Thanks a lot

Joćo from Portugal

[RBLusthaus]

Never tried burned wood before, but if the heartwood is undamaged, I would think it would be fine.  As to splitting, hard to say wo seeing it.  Post a pic? 

[Pat B]

Joao, I assume the tree is dead. I know locust is rot resistant but I don't like using any standing dead wood if I can help it.  If you have no other wood to use I'd use it but only try to get one bow from it, using the best section of the tree for the bow. Make the bow long for your draw length(ie. 66" to 68" for a 28" draw). Get the back ring as pristine as you can, also.

[huisme]

I've used trees exactly like what you're describing for ten or more bows, and up to half of my bows are from roadside standing dead locust.

If the grain is really straight you'd be safer to saw it in half. Personally I would quarter it on the saw and make four 1" wide reflex deflex bows but it's much easier to just go with two high-crown flatbows.

[Jjpso]

Hello again!

Thanks RBlusthaus, Pat B and Huisme for your answers!

Today i took the bark of, since it was almost all burnt and rotten, and found one big crack running the log lengthwise.
I used that crack and was able to get 2 staves, one bigger than the other but the smaller one usable too.
I left the sapwood on, and covered the back and ends of the staves with a big layer of wood glue.

Do you think i can have drying cracks by leaving the sapwood on? I didnt had time to remove it todasy, and since the tree got burnt 2 or 3 years ago, i imagine it already seasoned a bit and wont crack. The interior was not very wet.
What do you guys think?

Regardes,

Joćo

[Pat B]

Joao, even though the wood is seasoned, not only from the fire but also the time since it died, it will still take on moisture from the atmosphere as the R/H rises. I would recommend taking the sapwood off and sealing the back of the heartwood. Seasoning and dry are not the same. A well seasoned piece of wood will still take on and release moisture to the atmosphere as the R/H(relative humidity) changes.
  My answer above relates to my experience with standing dead locust. The ones I've tried have all failed by delaminating at an early growth ring. That particular malady may be a local phenomenon.

[huisme]

Pat I think that is local, or perhaps more common in areas besides my own, my favorite locust is the long-dead variety

I leave the sapwood on to dry and seal the ends, just keep them out of serious heat and you should be fine. I left a couple fresh split logs bark and all in the ~100^o weather for about a week (van was full) and the checks only ran a ring or two into the heartwood and I had to re-cut/seal the ends. It's easier to remove the sapwood either when it's fresh and wet or when it's dry as a bone, anything between and it feels really gummy.

[Jjpso]

Pat B and Huisme, Thanks again for the answers, i will take the sapwood as sono as i can, and probably reduce the stave to bow size, and wait till its completly dry.

Joćo pedro

[huisme]

If you reduce to rough dimensions strapping it to something rigid like a beam or 2x4 is very important. Even if you don't get a lot of lateral twist nine out of ten of my staves gain reflex proportionate to how thin the stave is as it dries, and one bow I'm working on right now has 5" of natural reflex after drying from straight.

You can also take advantage of drying reflex by using spacers to make a drying jig, I've done that to keep all the drying reflex in the outer thirds of one bow's limbs.

[simson]

hi Joao,
first I would not hesitate to use that BL
second there must be lots of bow wood in your homeland. You can use most of the fruit trees, also most sorts of laurel.

[GlisGlis]

I had good result with 2 standing dead BL (not burnt)
I'd try for sure. you may be lucky

[Springbuck]

It's ok to split it, but if you have only a 3" dia. heartwood piece, just pick out one stave, the best part of the tree, and then make your splits carefully to get that one good stave. 

[Jjpso]

Sorry for the late asnswer guys.
I will let you know how things go

Simson: i havent tried any fruit tree so far, but i found some laurel saplings, that i think i can cut...

What dimensions and design do you think i should use with laurel for a bow of around 55 pounds at 26"?

Thanks

Joćo

[Jjpso]

guys, do you have any experience whith "Laurus nobilis"?!
do you know if its bow wood?!

regards,

Joćo