Hedge/Osage stave storage **** updated with haul load

[jamesh76]

Talked to my buddy today, this weekend if it don't rain too much I'm gonna head out to his place and harvest some hedge and maybe a locust. I am.not sure the type of locust he has. It has long thorns on it, may be honey locust. If so I need to read up and see if it would work.  I will cut logs to about 72-80", split into saves and seal ends with water based paint I have an excess of. I want to leave the bark on, however have read a lot of stuff about checks and cracks if sapwood is left on.

 My question is, I have an outdoor shed I intend to store them in to season. Shed is not heated. I will buy some 2x4 studs and make a rack to store them on. I figure 4 1/2-5' between cross supports to sit them on.  Being in a not so controlled climate, are their any other precautions I should take or am missing? Any concern for termites, bugs, humidity?  anything else? Thanks

[bentstick54]

If you leave the bark on, definitely spray all the bark down with an insecticide of some kind to prevent borer larvae from hatching and tunneling under the bark. It will save you a lot of staves.

[TRiggs]

If you can get away with it store it in the house under the sofa , that's what I did wifey wasn't  to happy that's why she's  an ex lol.

[osage outlaw]

If you leave the bark on you are risking bug damage.   I've sprayed them with insecticide multiple times and still had borer damage.   Removing the bark and sapwood is the safest route.  It's more work up front but it's worth it in my opinion.   Plus, sapwood is easier to remove when its fresh.   If you do that, make sure to seal the backs. 

I would skip the honey locust and look for hickory,  elm, hackberry, black locust,  hop horn beam, oak, etc.  Please post some pictures of your harvest.  Good luck.

[jamesh76]

thanks for the replies.  i believe i will have more than i could "stick under the sofa"  however, there may be a few pieces find their way inside

It will take me a few days to split and get backs off. But weather supposed to not be so good anyway.   I will seal them with something.  May take down too just under the sapwood and paint the backs since i got 2 gallons of paint we wont be using.

I have a few hickory staves now, probably enough for 10 bows or so. I will see what else he has out there. Would really like some mulberry if he has some.

Hackberry, I need to read up on some to identify.

[osage outlaw]

Hackberry has grey bark with warts or bumps all over it.  It makes a good bow.  Even if it takes a month to remove all the sapwood you will be fine.

[jamesh76]

ah, I just searched an image. There is a bunch of Hackberry around this area. Not sure if he has any on his farm, likely does. 

The bark on it sticks out quite a bit and is really rough.

[BowEd]

That's the way to do er James.Collect a bunch.You've got a good selection of good bow wood accumulating there.
Follow OO's advice
White woods I like doing in the early spring.Not much work.Bark pops off.Pristene back revealed.Osage and black locust I remove bark & sapwood as soon as possible.Even chase a ring.Slellack backs & ends and then store all in a shed up on a rack.I reduce all my staves to 1.5" deep and 2" wide and then date them too.Never have problem of bugs then.
10 years later their good as gold yet to be made into a bow.

[bjrogg]

I’d definitely recommend following Osage Outlaws advice. Like he said. More work up front, but it all needs to be done eventually and it is the best way the prevent bugs. You don’t want to go through all the work of splitting storing and later removing several extra rings to try to get below bug damage.

I would recommend not cutting to much at once. Cut some, prep it and then cut some more. It can be a overwhelming experience if you tackle more than you can handle.

Bjrogg

PS guys that do this properly like Clint. Earn every penny and more. It’s hard work.

[BowEd]

Go for it James.I did.It'll be worth it.I've done hundreds.
We have crews around here that cut fence posts for a living.Thousands of them over a summer.

[bjrogg]

Go for it James.I did.It'll be worth it.I've done hundreds.
We have crews around here that cut fence posts for a living.Thousands of them over a summer.

I say go for it to. I’m not trying to discourage you. Just getting you prepared.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

He'll learn preparing along the way.

[bjrogg]

Your right Ed. The first step is getting the wood. No since scaring anyone off before they start and certainly wasn’t my intent

Bjrogg

[jamesh76]

Here is the haul. 2 or 3 honey locust, several osage and the rough bark stuff I think is Hackberry?  Only one needing taken to a ring is the osage? The others are white woods I think. A variety of sizes. Most are 75" long. A few 60-62. As for the picture with numbers on the end. I.dont have a band saw, so what's the best way to split off #3 prior to.dividing #1 and #2?  Those aren't my actual stave lines. I just scribbled it for the picture.

[BowEd]

I would'nt be so quick to be greedy splitting that without a band saw.2 staves will be a win for you.There's a fair amount of twist in that belly split option #3.
I'd get the bark off that hackberry too.Those staves should fill your day and then some.Store that hackberry off the ground.