hickory smooth bark

[jeff halfrack]

     OK  I just got  seven 12' logs,  straight as  heck!!!   I have a  woodmizer saw mill to  use  I am  looking  for  suggestions this  should be good  stuff!  I may even trade some     let me  know what you  guys  think   thanks  JEFFW

[Cameroo]

Quatersawn all the way! You could get some excellent backing out of that too.

[sailordad]

split it by hand into staves

then what do you want for a couple of staes,2-3 or so?

[hedgeapple]

If they were mine hickory logs here's what I would do with them at least 3 of them.  I know ideally a split stave is better for making a self bow.  But if they are indeed straight one should be able to follow the grain on the back of the "stave piece" for laying out a bow. With the 2" cut piece you could make backing strips or board bows.

[half eye]

MERCY !!! such a problem to have, sir.  Some of my friends who are blessed with this hickory "problem" swear by cutting the wood into 2" X 2" or 3" X 3" sticks.....they tell me that way the sticks can be rotated and "resawed" into fully quartersawed or plain sawed and the rest of @ stick can be resawed into backing stock (either plain or quartersawed). That gives them two bows + backers from @ individual stick. I dont have access to Hickory but that appraoch to the sawing situation seems to make sense to this old man.
rich

[crooketarrow]

      Even though I build mostly osage bows. Hickorys bows are my favoret.

[George Tsoukalas]

What are the diameters? Jawge

[Pat B]

I like half eye's idae. Simple but effective!

[jeff halfrack]

This is  cool!!   I knew I could get good advise here  the logs  are from 8"  to  16"  about 10' to 16' long  keep it  comming  guys  thanks  I have the ends  sealed now and won't get to  them till  after  the  fat man comes!!  thanks  JEFFW

[Pat B]

Were the logs freshly cut before you got them? Be sure to get them out of the weather. If they are wet when you saw them cut them into the bigger pieces and stack and sticker them and allow them time to acclimatize some before cutting the backing strips. If the wood is wet when you cut the thin strips they will warp as they dry. Once stable resaw the backing strips at 3/16" thick so when you dress up both surfaces you will end up with strips about 1/8" or slightly less.