Everything’s checking and delaming

[Deerhunter21]

Hey guys. So what I’m looking at Right now is all my staves/blanks are delaminating. I don’t know what to do… the backs were sealed and so were the ends. This is actually really crushing as I was finally going to have time to work on bows this summer. I don’t know what i have left to use.

[Deerhunter21]

I just did an inventory of what I have and it seems like the only things That arent damaged is a board for a board bow, and 2 sets of billets. My 2 really knotty hickory staves only checked (hopefully) but my persimmon stave and black locust stave  delaminated.

[bradsmith2010]

well move on with your best options,, board bows can shoot great,,

[Deerhunter21]

Yeah. Board bow is up next now.

I think I didn’t seal them properly but I don’t know. The back and ends were sealed. Can delams and checks happen through the belly of the stave?

[bradsmith2010]

well lots of variables ,,, but maybe the wood was not good to start with,,,I just dont know,,

[Deerhunter21]

Yeah…. I dunno. I’m pretty sure the wood was good. I think it’s my fault. I just want to make sure I can stop this from happening next time.

[Buckskinner]

If you have hickory around, go cut one and split it into staves.  I cut, split and painted ends of a hickory in January and had it dry in 6 weeks and a bow shortly after, very little set and turned out great.   

[Pat B]

Checking is a result of wood drying too quickly. Sealing the back and ends won't stop checking but it slows the rate of moisture loss which helps prevent checking. Check can happen in the belly but usually those belly checks aren't disastrous.
  What are you using to seal with? How and where are you storing your bow wood while it dries.
 On the one darker stave those checks are old. You can tell by the darkening in and around the checks. The other one looks like a round stave. If it still has a pith that pith will be where the check begins. On round staves you need to split or saw them in half, lengthwise and eliminate that pith by reducing the thickness.

[Deerhunter21]

I should clarify, these two pictures are both side views of the staves. Those cracks are crackes down the side.

Pat I’m using Elmer’s glue to seal my staves. I heard it worked well, but I’m not so sure now lol! I store my staves standing up in a corner of my garage. Normally they are leaning on each other.

I the darker check is old the thing is though that it’s grown into the actual bending portion of the limb. I soaked them in CA glue so we will see what happens.

[bownarra]

First thing is to get yourself a humidity meter and a thermometer.
then look up a table of e.m.c. levels.
Paraffin wax is the best sealer bar none!

[Del the cat]

I feel your pain, sometimes a bad ring due to disease or a dry year/high wind etc can just ruin a stave... sometimes no amount of care and attention will stop it. Some we win some we lose... nature of the game... nature of life.
Oooh I've gone all philosophical 
Something will turn up, it generally does
Del

[BowEd]

I agree with Pat B here.Somehow you've run into a very dry/low humidity type of weather to get that to happen.

[Allyn T]

Deerhunter if you make it to mojam I'll bring some hickory staves for you.

[superdav95]

That sucks man.  I had some of mine split on me too this year.  Did the same as last year with the poly on the back and ends but lost a couple.  I agree with Ed you must have had a crazy dry spell to get it to split and check like that.  I’ve never used Elmer’s for sealer but also heard it’s supposed to be good.  I use poly and brush it on heavy.  I also stand mine up in the corner of my garage like you.  I leave mine lots long too as I know that some will split a bit at the end so I have room to work with as far as length goes.  If you need a stave that’s clean I can send ya one that’s dry and free of splits. It would have to be mailed as I’m in Ontario Canada 🇨🇦   Let me know. 

[Eric Krewson]

The osage looks like a wind shake opening up, if so the crack was always there and just opened up more while drying.

The other one looks like inferior wood, it has been my experience that only inferior wood checks from the side, every bow I made with side check wood failed.

Where do you dry your wood? Enclosed out buildings, hot cars and attics will ruin you wood, I found out the hard way early on in my bow making journey.