When dose the cambium stop slipping?

[Joec123able]

A few times I left bark on staves that were clung tight, I steamed one end which loosens it up and then popped the rest off. Also usually will work to leave the bark on into tillering and it will pop off when you start bending.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I have NO clue how you guys can lay a bow out and actually start tillering it having never seen the back or its grain.

[bjrogg]

I always wondered that to Pearl
Bjrogg

[PatM]

I have NO clue how you guys can lay a bow out and actually start tillering it having never seen the back or its grain.

   
  In my case super picky wood selection. I do remove down to a thin layer of inner bark though.  It's pretty obvious by then.
  By leaving the bark until the bow is at close to finished width it greatly reduces how much stuff needs to be scraped off with a spoon.

I prefer winter cut wood  for a couple of reasons of convenience mostly.

[FilipT]

Why don't debark a tree if you want to work it? Hardest type you can do is the european hornbeam with weird dips under the bark. All others, simply use a draw knife and thats it.

[PatM]

All others, simply use a draw knife and thats it.

   Know how I can tell you haven't properly debarked many types of wood? 

[George Tsoukalas]

It sure is nice to have that bark slip off easily and that happens during the growing season.
Around here (NH) that's when the leaves start showing and stops when the leaves begin to fall which is right around June to September and that varies year to year here.

Anyway, when I've missed it or if I have a stave of whitewood with the bark still on it I  use a  drawknife to get close and finish with a scraper.

I've done it many times that way.

Jawge

[FilipT]

All trees here with what I worked, doesn't matter if bow wood are easy to work with, except this a-hole called european hornbeam.

[Pappy]

I like to cut mine in August, I have left the bark on before as it seasoned but don't like to for 2 reasons, yes it is tough to get off, especially Hickory but the main reason is bugs, so even if it is cut in the winter I still take the bark off before putting it away to dry and season.
 Pappy

[Pat B]

I prefer to cut whitewoods in the spring when the leaves are just out. This time of year the bark slips and the growth ring below the bark has had all winter to mature. Wood cut in late summer was just laid down during the growing season. It may not make a difference but that is the way I do it.

[PatM]

The wood is dormant in the winter so that growth ring just sits there already mature.

[Orrum]

Ok back again. I just cut a China Berry tree. Cut down a 5-6 inch thick sucker growing off a old stump, it had 4-5 sisters.  It's about 10 feet long. The last couple feet on the butt end do a bad dog leg. So then I probably messed up. Took it home and cut down the middle of the straight level side all the way a couple inches deep  with a circular skill saw. Then put wedges in and it was splitting really easy along the cut. Then it dived off another way, my fault I have split enough locust posts as a boy to know to watch and perhaps have to hatchet thru a big tear to get back on track. I should have not sawed it and just started with a hatchet driven into the heart. Anyway it's split and I laid it up in the rafters of the barn to dry. Do I need to paint the ends?  Do I need to weigh it down or tie them down?What size does the stave need to be? I have roughly a third split piece and the other half is two thirds of the log. When do I check for bark to slip. Do I use the cambium or do I have to chase a ring? I can email someone a pic of the ends.  Thanks folks!  I guess I could start a build thread but we gotta wa it for this thing to dry.

[bjrogg]

Orrum, you should at very least paint or seal ends. If bark and cambium will slip the sooner the easier. If you do take off cambium you need to paint or seal that too. I've never used that type of wood but some woods you could also rough out belly to heavy floor tiller then it would dry faster good luck
Bjrogg

[George Tsoukalas]

I have never used china berry so take my remarks with a grain of salt.

I would remove the bark asap. Nothing is to be gained by leaving it on.
Sometimes the backs of whitewoods check for me and sometimes they do not.
If you think it might check then sand with 100 grain and 220 grain, stain, and seal with a poly.

For a length leave a good 6" then later on you can shorten it. Maybe double your draw and  add 20% if the crown is not too rounded. If it is then add a good 2" to that.

In a heavily crowned stave the tension forces along  the back are concentrated down the middle or high point.

There is much more on my site.

http://traditionalarchery101.com/

Jawge

[Orrum]

George thanks for all your help on your site!   I have time to day to check the bark slippage. I am going forward with yalls suggestion to make a board bow while I wait for the staves to dry.