Honey Locust

[Ahnlaashock]

Since I have several growing at the edge of the yard, and I am in need of learning wood, I cut an HL stave a couple of days back. 
I sealed the ends when I cut it, and stored it for two days with the bark on.   I then stripped the bark and split the one side off.  What I had left was a half round stave split down to the pith line for most of the length.  Tonight, I scraped the flat down to the pith line for the whole length and pretty much flattened the belly out.  I then took a knife and shaved the sides down flat for the full length also.  I have it clamped on a 2x6 for the night with the worse curve clamped pretty much straight. 
Has anyone here used this wood to build a bow?   It is about 2 inches across the back with just the bark removed.   It is about 1.5 inches thick at this point on the smaller end.   The "pin knots" are scattered and I don't think any of them is going to be a problem. 
I am considering clamping it full length between two 2x6's and setting it up to fully cure that way. 
Does holding one straight as it dries help a lot in straightening a stave? 
Am I pretty much on track with what I am doing?  Should I go ahead and cut the tapers before it dries?  I could easily mark the tips at 5/8ths or so and cut the belly back to the handle tomorrow and then clamp it back down.   I have a camera if anyone needs pictures. 
Thanks in advance for any help offered!  Before I spend good money on a stave, I want to have a little more idea of what I am doing.  Straightening and working this one should be good practice.  At least I hope so!

[Bowmonk]

Your time spent on honey locust will be a sad disappointment in my opinion.
It is relatively soft... cells crush easily, rots profusely, rings tend to separate after time because the softer portions of the growth rings are somewhat pithy.
I have seen the stuff mildew and begin to rot even in open air. And, it seems to be like a humidity sponge.

It does make decent firewood in a pinch.

Russ

[Ahnlaashock]

Then I guess I will not learn how to follow the natural tendencies in the wood, how to properly shape the wood using the tools, how to tiller a sapling stave, or anything else that I need to learn from working on it! 
Right now, It is clamped to a 2x6 to see if I can straighten it some now as it dries.   If it stops raining long enough, I am going to go cut a 2.5 inch channel longways on the corner of a tie.  Then I will be able to alternate clamps holding it straight on both directions as it dries with enough force to hold it straight.   Should work for future staves also unless I am missing something. 
Time I have.  Good bow wood I don't have at this point! 
Thanks for your time!   

[MaceG]

I see no reason you can't learn from the experience.

[Ahnlaashock]

I don't either and that is how I learn the best.   From doing.
I knew it wasn't primo bow wood before I cut it!  I made that plain in the original post. 

[loco cacahuate]

I'm doing the same thing you are. I've built a few backed lumber bows, now I'm working on a black ash that a friend gave me, not a good bow wood but I thought it would be ok and learn from it as my first stave bow and see what happens.

[George Tsoukalas]

I've never used it but I think you should seal the back with poly. Jawge

[Ahnlaashock]

This is the stave.  It is 78 inches long and starting to take on a longbow type of form.



This is the belly of a limb with the pith line still showing a little.



It is shaved down to heartwood on the belly and sides with the limb sections being scraped down to below the pith line.  No cracks or drying problems so far.  It may not make a good bow, but it is proving to be an excellant teacher so far!
Have a beautiful day everyone!

[billy]

give it a try anyway!! 

[Olschool]

I tried one, after it dried it still wanted to warp when the humidity was up, but with a heat gun you can move it around a bunch. It came out as an OK shooter, but only hit 35lbs at 28". I went ahead and de-crowned the back, and did a glue-up with bamboo. It shoots a fast arrow now, but only hits the scales at 42lbs@28, 64" ntn. I want to see what it will do if I shorten it to 60 or 58", but my daughter says she wants it to finish and be hers
Still waiting to see if she is going to do anything with it.
I've got the other half of the split that I keep thinking about trying again.
Go for it!

[smokeu]

I read that they can make a really decent bow>>>> shouldnt hurt to learn on.

Good Luck

Mike

[Bullitt]

Well here's my 2 cents. In a very earlier primitive mag, I think first year series, an article about one of John Strunks bow classes,  a gentleman is drawing a Honey locust flatbow, checking tiller.  I would go for it. Yes, you will learn alot!  And it could make a happy kid archer along the way! Good shootin, Steve

[Ahnlaashock]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!  It is drying right now, and as has been mentioned, it is still moving around on it's own as it does!  Definitely going to have to be sealed up well! 
I am working on another board bow while the HL is drying.   Went to buy a sanding pad for my angle grinder.  They did not have one with the big center for my grinder.   Decided to buy a new blade for the surform.  Nope, don't carry the long blades!   I ended up buying new Stanley Surform and a sharpener to work on the spoke shave blade.  In other words, back to doing it by hand!   They did have the sanding grinding mesh pads for my grinder, but I wasn't sure how well the would work. 
Anyway, I hope everyone along with their families are safe and having a very good day!

[redwasp]

In my opinion it is better to work with hand tools anyway. For whats its worth I have ruined a few with power tools. Sounds like your off to a good start.

[Ahnlaashock]

Kinda off topic, but the new surform blade made working with the oak quite pleasant.   Will post more on the HL when it gets a little dry time.  Been real wet here most of the time lately!   
Anyway, Have a beautiful day all!