what's next for shagbark hickory staves?

[NJWoodsman]

I think I'm over the frustration of the infant mortality of my last hickory selfbow. Good thing, because now I have fresh material to work with. On Memorial Day weekend I had some big trees come down, including a shagbark hickory, probably 8" diameter. Last weekend I cut a bow-length section, split it in quarters, sealed the ends with shellac, and brought them inside. This past weekend I stripped the bark (very wet on the exposed new growth) and further split the staves closer to rough width.

Now they're drying in my (dry) basement with a dehumidifier. So now I just wait a few weeks? They're so wet I can't even draw out an outline, but I don't feel like building a drying tunnel. I'm afraid if I cut them down further or try to floor tiller them they might warp or twist.

[Pappy]

I wouldn't cut it to thin just yet,also wouldn't put in a hot box either,it will probably check if you did without sealing really good,let it dry slow for a while,then when the main moisture is gone you can speed it up a bit.Hickory dries pretty slow.
   Pappy

[Kegan]

Go as fast as you want! I make almost all my bows from shagbark hickory, since it's the most abundant wood we have around here and it can take more abuse than anything. For mine I cut the tree and remove the bark, splitting it immediately into staves. The best I then immediately rough out (usually a day after, having cut the tree and carted it home by hand, which tires me out). I leave them 2" wide the full length of the limbs (or as wide as I can), but drop them to final thickness (5/8" down to 3/8" for flatbows, 1/2" overall for pyramids, and 5/8" down to 1/2" for bows I don't know what I want to do with). I narrow the handles to 1" wide and cut the bow to near length. As soon as I have it roughed in I throw it into a hot box, leaving it there for two to five weeks. I don't seal it, nor do I have alot of problems with warping, despite the narrow handles and limbs. Usually any bends or kinks were obviously there before I roughed the bow out. Actually, after I found out how quickly a hickory tree can be made into a bow, I stopped cutting white oak or anything else from around here

Oh, and bows made this way shoot pretty well

[George Tsoukalas]

I'd take one of those nice stave and start floor tillering. Leave the handle full width and the nocks about an inch wide> Later on you can reduce both. I'd get the limbs bending about an inch. Yes sir. That's what I'd do 'cause it will dry faster. Jawge

[Rain Man]

Kegan, with your hot box, you only have to wait a maximum of 5 weeks before it's completely dry???  I cut a pile of shagbark saplings and also bigger shagbark staves around Memorial Day and I just have them laying in the house at room temp and I planned on letting them sit until next year.  I might have to find plans to make one of those awesome hot boxes!   That way, I can leave my board bow behind and carry a hickory bow into the woods this fall.

I'll look in the archives for plans to build one, unless you can explain it

[PeteC]

With hickory I usually cut the tree,split the log in half,seal the ends.In a week or 2,I split into staves,then lay out a bow on each stave.Rough them out to floor tiller,then clamp to 2X6 forms, to induce reflex.Leave them on the forms a month.Take off the forms,weigh  each stave,and continue weighing until it stops losing weight.(If kept in a good dry place,a couple of more weeks should do it).Tiller to floor tiller again,(notice how the wood works,if it is dry it will work good with all your tools,including rasp,if it still seems a little green,give it a little more time in a dry place),when your certain it is dry, clamp in reflex once again,then heat treat the belly.Wait 3 or 4 days,then complete tiller,and finish bow. Nuttin' to it. God Bless