CURING yew staves

[radius]

Hi everybody,

Q:

To cure my yew staves, is it best in the sun or out of the sun?  In the open air or indoors, somewhere dark?

I'm totally new to working with staves, despite my practice with boards and self-made laminations...any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks

[adb]

I do NOT cure any staves in direct sunlight. I have all of mine stacked on a moveable steel shelving unit inside my shop, which allows air flow all around the staves.

[Gordon]

What adb said - store indoors with good circulation. If you expose the wood to direct sunlight for extended periods while the wood is green you will likely end up with checking.

[radius]

thanks guys

I haven't been able to split my log yet, but i will this weekend...AFTER i go collect a couple more!

now!

how about curing them standing on end?  is that ok or will they bend...?

my storage space is limited...

[sailordad]

if you have a garage put them up in the rafters
i keep all mine there,the seem to comes out nice and dry
plus its an often overlooked,under used space

[ravenbeak]

hey tim,

how are you making out with that stave i sent you?

your feathers were great,  they were the fletching on the arrow i got my buck with last year,

jamie

[sailordad]

HEY JAMIE

i have a profile drawn on it and thats it so far.i havent really touched a bow since about mid-late feb.
got the knapping bug back in january,and just cant seem to shake it.every time i think i am gonna go scrape some wood
i end up grabbing a slab of obsidion or something and try to make a point,next thing i know its late and i made a lot of gravel.
but summer wont last forever here in mn.so once the weather ets cold its back to working on bows in the basement

[Gordon]

Standing your staves on end while curing is not a problem.

[Pat B]

I stand all my wood on end.

[radius]

you guys don't find that it bends?  i guess the staves are pretty thick...

Gordon, what about the difference between low and high elevation yew?  Notice any?  I remember reading that high elevation, growing slower, is better wood...the stuff i have is basically sea level...

[AKAPK]

How many Growth rings are there besides the sap wood guy?

[radius]

lots

[shamus]

indoors, around 50% RH.

More thoughts of mine on drying wood: http://analogperiphery.blogspot.com/2008/08/drying-and-seasoning-wood.html

more on yew: http://analogperiphery.blogspot.com/2008/06/evaluating-yew-wood.html

hope it helps

[Gordon]

High elevation yew is certainly the prime stuff, but I wouldn't turn my nose up at low elevation yew - it's still good bow wood.

[AKAPK]

thats cool, are ya in california I would be willing to trade a bow for a stave without big knots.