While I wait

[Catkinson]

I’m Kinda of a Newby , I’ve built bows out of hickory and red oak and have Osage that’s drying ( will be ready next may .)
In meantime I’ve noticed some ash and pecan trees on a property I hunt .
My question is drying them . If I cut a tree down and split into staves what’s the drying time and method etc .
Thanks in advance!!

[Pat B]

The longer the better but you could have a shooting bow in a month or 2 if handled correctly.
 My choice of the two would be the pecan which is similar to hickory, actually the same genus.

[bradsmith2010]

I agree longer the better,, but if you rought it out to floor tiller,, and keep a fan on it,, you can have a bow sooner than most think,,
it might not perform like aged stave, but will kill a deer,,

[Catkinson]

Thanks
I’ve only finished board bows so far so was unsure on aging ( drying out ) white wood .

[George Tsoukalas]

Roughly, it rakes 1 year for every inch of thickness. Do remove the bark. If you do that is the back of your bow.

You can rough out a stave and even get it bending an inch or 2 and it will dry faster.

Be leary of quick drying methods until you get a bit more experience.

More on my site.

http://traditionalarchery101.com

Jawge

[Hawkdancer]

All of the above, and it also depends on where you are.  Things dry out faster in low humidity regions, like the high plains, mountains and deserts.  Good luck and have fun!
Hawkdancer

[Buckskinner]

I was in your shoes in January, cut down a hickory (as Pat stated, Pecan is in hickory family) and cut into staves. Took 2 staves and cut out profile of bow and thinned to about 3/4" on the limbs.  I placed them above the furnace in my shop and weighted them every couple days until they stopped losing weight.   I have a log of it somewhere, I think it took about 6 weeks to stop losing water weight.  You being in pecan country, I'm sure you can find a warm spot, one that's not real humid might be the challenge...

[gutpile]

depends on where you live.. if down south with high humidity a year minimum on hickory split or  6 months inside roughed out.. out west maybe 3 months.. gut

[George Tsoukalas]

While you wait make a board bow. Info on my site. Link is above. Jawge