Sweetgum for bows

[darinputman]

Ok so I've been wanting to try making a fireharded sweetgum bow. I finally got around to cutting a tree with the help of a friend that wants my next osage bow.
   My question is has anyone here ever made a sweetgum bow. I know I have serious doubts about it as a bow wood but after watching the claims about the fire hardend bow I got to try.
   I cut a good sized sweetgum, 17" diameter and got 3 sections adout 78" long. Got them halved and debarked would like to say I split them but aint man enough for that, sawed them into.
   Problem is they so wet I'm scared they gonna check. They shedding a lot more water than any wood I ever peeled the bark off. I have coated them with shellack and a couple with polyurethane but wood is so wet poly just kinda a floating film and shellack sticking but water still coming through. I plan to put more coats on but kinda think I may see if water slows up. Anybody got any suggestions feel free.

[bassman211]

I just posted one a couple of weeks ago. Go back on the posts, and you will see it. Was gifted the stave. I belly heat treated it with a heat gun on a form, and sinew backed it. Turned out better than I thought it would. Fire hardening one may give better results. I have only built that one bow from it so far ,but it looks promising as a bow wood. I will be making 2 more from it soon as my friend just gifted them to me.

[darinputman]

Bassman that is a good looking bow, the only thing that worries me is the amount of water it's shedding. I've sealed up the back on wet wood and it dried up but this stuff just keeps shedding water. I coated it but water keeps coming through. I brushed poly on a couple, shellac on a couple and tried spray shellac on a couple. Gonna keep a close eye on it and continue to apply as it dries a bit. Has been wet weather here also. Was really wondering what others thoughts were on this.
    Don't want to loose it to checking for sure. Cut it Saturday and has already lost enough water to be noticeably lighter when lifting one end. With hickory split peel the bark and seal, can usually be done in short order. Thought this would be similar but not the splitting part, chainsaw only way for me. Thanks

[bassman211]

Will B did  all the leg work to get it to stave form. I just built the bow. I have no idea how he went about drying it. I did do some heavy heat treating on it when I was shaping it on the form, and a few more more times through the tillering process.

[Gimlis Ghost]

Sounds like you need to cut this species when the sap in down in late fall or winter. Not an option this time I take it.

Perhaps sealing the stave in a plastic tube or loosely wrapping in plastic  and laying it in the summer sun, then opening it up once or twice a day to let accumulated moisture on wrap or in tube dry would dry it slow but steady.
The wrap or tube would keep humid air around the wood preventing too fast drying. Sun light like we've had recently is more than enough to heat up a closed container. Like making sun tea in a way.
This method is sometimes used to draw oil out of old military gunstocks.
A long narrow box lined with aluminum foil and topped by a piece of clear plastic sheeting might be better.

PS another method I've heard of is packing the wood in rock salt. They don't use this method for walnut intended for rifle stocks any more after FN rifles with salt cured wood began rusting away under the wood due to salt contamination. Since a bow doesn't have iron or steel components that shouldn't be an issue.

[Hamish]

 I would continue to cut them into staves. They will dry out quicker. Also 1/2, 17" logs will check as it dries, lots of wasted  bow wood.

[Eric Krewson]

Darrin cut the wood this time of year so the bark would slip. Having cut one big hickory later in the year I learned my lesson not to ever do that again, getting the bark off was like removing concrete.

[darinputman]

Hamish I will  at least quarter them shortly, that job I got seems to get in the way. I've had bow wood check on me before, heartbreaking. But have split, sealed and got around to quartering when able. Has never been a problem before but can see I'm gonna have to handle this differently.
 G ghost interesting method but I have had wood check just from sunlight shinning through the window of my shop. Guess the wrapping holding in the moisture may prevent it though. I'd be scared that since the moisture is escaping from the wood into the bag that it would still check. Will think on this one though thanks.
   Eric is right I have cut hickory only to burn later as bark stuck too tight for me. I enjoy chasing a ring on osage, but hate chasing the outside of a tree while removing bark on white wood.
   Thanks will continue to monitor coat and will get quartered and stowed away. I need my floor space back.

[Will B]

  Hello Darin… I cut a black gum tree in June last year. The bark popped right off and I had to rip the staves out with a chainsaw and bandsaw. No possible way to split this wood as far as I can tell due to the inter-locking grain. They were very wet also but I immediately sealed ends and back with shellac as best I could. I put a second coat on the next day and stored in my shed rafters. None of my staves have checked so hopefully yours won’t either. Good luck.
Will

[darinputman]

Thanks Will b, that is exactly what I wanted to hear. I will continue to add coats and cut em smaller . Just so much water coming off had me worried. At least sweetgum is plentiful around here if I need more.