A strategy for dealing with twisted logs

[snedeker]

I mention this because I see the question raised form time to time.  Lately, I have been leaving such lumber in pretty wide splits, say quarters of an 8" log, giving about 6" across the width of the jumbo stave.  I run my centerline at a diagonal across the piece, thus finding the even crown points on oppoiste corners.  I have an ash almost done from some pretty propellery stuff done in this way that I will be showing soon.  It means a lot of hatchet work to remove all the wood but makes for a nice straight bow.  I shallow out the wide splits before drying and in some cases this leads to some nice reflexing during curing, although i depends on the wood type.

Dave

[Pappy]

That's kind of the way we do it if it is twisted to start with but have also found if it is straight to star with and split down to small it will twist while drying so I leave it in 1/4 logs for a while and then narrow it on down once it has seasoned for a few Mont's.Usually 6 to 10 inches across the
back will do it.
   Pappy

[markinengland]

Dave,
Any chance of pictures to iluustrate what you mean? I have some twisted yew billets. Nice wood aside from the twist.
Mark in England

[SimonUK]

I know exactly what you mean. I had an ash log in which the grain twisted by 45 degrees as it went up the log. I used a circular saw to cut the most convenient stave from it rather than try to straighten it. Ash is so strong that it seems to cope with violations of the grain like that. I've made two ELBs from the log and neither have broken yet.

[George Tsoukalas]

Well,  would that not put you in a cross grained situation, Dave? That is probably worse than the propellor twist. I like to follow the vertical grain or  crown all the way up from end to end. Propellor twists are rarely fatal to a bow unless really excessive. Jawge

[snedeker]

Mark

It would be pretty complicated with spliced billets. Pretty much have to heat correct that I guess.  I'll post a pic though.

George:

For the ash I'm working on, the rings feather out just right, probably a sign the grain was followed.  Maybe the grain followed the twist and in this situation I followed it?

Simon:

Down a pint of bitters for me later - only if you're old enough of course.

Dave