Interesting ERC Log That I Brought Home Today.

[Limbwalker]

Well I cut down a Juniper today, as it has one side with no branches, yet from the bark I could see the grain twist. I feel confident the twist can be dealt with. The log is 9.5' and 4" diameter. After felling the stressed tree, I carried it home and prepared to split it. I hadn't looked at the end grain at this point. I bent over and saw this.


At first glance it looks like sapwood---> heartwood--->sapwood--->heartwood. I had 9' 5" of Log to work with. The plan is to pick the parts I want, cut away the excess.

After beginning the split it occurred to me what might be going on. Ants. Seen it before twice. They tunnel into the heartwood and set up shop.i

As you can see on the bottom picture the log is split. I have not done anything more with it yet. I will post pics of my findings as I proceed.

[Pat B]

Looks nice. Has it been on the ground? If so the sapwood is probably not good for bows but the heartwood should be fine. I'd back a heartwood bow.
 There is a little twist but once you reduce it to length lots of that will disappear. Try to find the straightest section for staves. You can straighten ERC with heat.

[BowEd]

Looks doable Limbwalker.Nice score.I've seen that brownish rot looking stuff even on the inside of live larger trunked trees too.

[Marc St Louis]

Looks nice.  I've seen streaks of what looks like sapwood inside the heartwood before.

There used to be a member here, an older fellow by the name of Matt Edwards, and he would make all heartwood ERC ALB's.  I agree with Pat on this one though and would back it.

[Limbwalker]

Thanks everyone for your help. Your knowledge makes me feel better about it.

No PatB it was standing with green foliage; but showed appearant signs of stress. Thanks for saying I should back it. You made up my mind to do so. I was on the fence, because I would like to try a Juniper selfbow someday, but this ain't the wood. I removed the bark first to see what was underneath and nothing too bad.

A third of the sapwood was healthy, exuding sap, slippery and correct color; as well as the cambium being correct. Then it dried up on the other two thirds. In other words decided the whole tree into thirds length wise. The healthy sap wood was on the side with the branches, we know why that is obviously. The side with no branches was loafing really, the stressed tree focused its efforts to provide and gather nutrients from its branches.

After removing the brittle/pithy, dried up parts I ended up with two staves. The dry side with no knots to speak of will be a heartwood bow. Thanks Marc for the thoughts on that. You gave me the spark to give that a go. I haven't taken the sapwood off yet. And Marc I will try and look up Matt Edwards for some ideas and inspiration.

That's about it so far, oh Pat your right, the twist all but disappeared, after salvaging two 75" staves. Lastly I Brought up the ants because in November I dropped a Juniper and processed it. It looked great, 80" right down the middle, minimal knots. It had a streak in the heartwood very similar to this one. It sat Ian my basement for a couple months, bark off and sealed. I went to rough out a bow and a couple of shavings with my hatchet, ants come pouring out. Both staves ended up in the scrap pile. Never know that's for sure. I like to crack open wood and see what's inside. There's always surprises I guess. Good and bad. Thanks again and Beadman thanks for the kind word. Wish everyone the best.

[Limbwalker]

Here are some pictures of what I got, there is still cambium and junk on the backs. Two staves that are now 72" each which gives me some room when I get to them when they're dry. I'm gonna rough them out soon. I have fifteen bows roughed out now and I'm continually collecting staves. I spend hours hunting for bow wood. It doesn't have to be perfect not free or straight at all for me, I care about the health of the wood the most. Here is where they're at right now,

Just for the sake of it, here is a picture of a bamboo backed Black walnut bow with a wee bit of reflex, no set so far, but I might screw it up yet.  It is 80% tillered out. Shots quick,  The finish is not done either, but can give an idea where it's headed. I'm gonna have a bunch of bows finishing in the weeks to come. Which I will share some here.

[Pat B]

Be sure to seal the back of your ERC staves.

[BowEd]

Nice pretty staves of red cedar.Bet it smells nice in there.Good way to get ready to make bows roughing them out like that.
Smart ratio attempt of bamboo on top of that walnut too.Don't see the smart balance done on that wood very often with bamboo.Makes a viable durable snappy shooter I'd say.Should not chrysal any for ya.At least I hope not.

[Limbwalker]

Thanks Pat I sealed the ends and the middle of the belly, I will run down stairs right now and do the backs.  I sealed only a thin strip on the belly side where the pith is. I seem to get large deep cracks there that have forced work arounds for me. Hope that wasn't dumb.

Beadman, yes you know it smells good and I hope to make bows out of it. Hey when I decide on profiles and rough them out, what you think, a couple months before I can proceed? I rough bows out to about 75% final dimensions. I don't bend them really, only over my knee to see how they move. In fact my knee is all I've used this past month, and a mirror for perspective. I'd imagine trying to bend a war bow over my knee would not go well lol. I'm working on getting in the 45-55 pound range consistently before attempting anything like a war bow. So far so good with the BW bow, been babying it to full draw for two months now, no ticks or frets. I like it, it's a rabbit slayer. If it fails it fails. My stave stash is getting quite large. Some staves I put aside to season slow for years. Won't that be nice.

[BowEd]

Yes 75% dimension is enough I'd say.I usually will take them inside then if the woman allows it into a more controlled enviornment.Ones that are high on your list to make a bow from anyway.2 months is about right.
Most all times when making bows even from a stave a year old I take it inside while making it inbetween sessions over a couple of weeks just to make sure it's dry before any big bending past 18 to 20 inches gets put on it.
Look forward to seeing the bows your making if they're anything like that walnut.
No war bow talk from me.I've never attemtped one of those yet either.

[Limbwalker]

Yeah, I don't have an interest in war bows now, I was just thinking of trying to bend it, random thought. I don't think my non-serious thoughts translate on paper. Will work on that :)War bows are not intriguing to me at all, at this point in my journey, but I keep my mind open, maybe someday, though doesn't suit my personality much either. That's all the warbow talk you'll hear from me. 

Anyway thanks for the tips. I keep all my wood in my basement, which is finished and has very low humidity. I really have to be careful to ease some woods into the basement. Thanks for relaying your experience, it really helps me. I operate by feel with most other things in life and I'm approaching bow making the same. I love wood. Every piece is different. If I lined up four separate walnut trunks, each one has its own unique limit, in my mind. Yeah you can expect some interesting stuff I hope. I never try to reinvent the wheel, never my intention, but I venture where my curiosity takes me. Can't help it, it's in my blood, as I suspect many here. Thanks for the help Ed it's late but in the near future I would like to pick your brain on a couple things, it's very rare to have so many professionals in one place willing to teach new guys like myself. I'm very grateful, take care.

[BowEd]

I don't consider myself a professional at all.I've got a long way to go to be an accomplished all design type bow maker,but I can tell you what not to do on what I'm used to making....ha ha ha.
You should be well on your way it sounds like.I take it you've got a dehumidifier running in the basement?I do here anyway.

[Pat B]

As long as the moisture can escape a bit of sealer on the belly won't hurt.

[LittleBen]

As long as the moisture can escape a bit of sealer on the belly won't hurt.

I agree, ERC always seems to check and also take forever to season. I'd seal the belly too and come back in a year

[Chief RID]

I have been told that the streaks you see in the heartwood is the result of a blight. He thinks it causes cedar posts to not last as long as they used to in his fence lines. I can't say. Cedar still seem to live a very long time without noticeable increase in death rate. Except death rate by cutting.