Author Topic: Osage sealing? (Read 3400 times)

hillbilly61 · « **on:** June 21, 2011, 09:07:48 pm »

Have a stave of Osage from last year (year and half old) and one from stringman. I've never done a stave bow yet and decided it was time. I have the 1st one chased to a good ring and roughed out. Starting to bend floor tiller. The second one I chased to a good ring and that is as far as I got.

My question is. How long can they sit before haveing to seal the backs again?

Elktracker · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2011, 09:19:30 pm »

I dont know too much about osage but if you think its still drying I would seal it as soon as possible, why risk it.

Josh

osage outlaw · « **Reply #2 on:** June 21, 2011, 09:46:41 pm »

I would seal them with shellac just in case. It's easy to remove later. I keep the backs of mine sealed with it until I do the final sanding.

peshikthe · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2011, 09:49:10 pm »

after the desired ring has been established on my osage bows i seal the back and the end immediatley, that is how i do it.i use spar varnish/polyurethane for all of my bows. i would make the bow asap but i have let them sit a long time(months) before and still have made shooters but i dont recommend this.

hillbilly61 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 21, 2011, 09:53:16 pm »

Thanks guys. Going to do that. A thin coat of TBII or urathan?

peshikthe · « **Reply #5 on:** June 21, 2011, 10:19:52 pm »

tb3 or poly works but the poly can be left on the bow and then all you have too do is put more poly on it when its done. the tb3 will have to be removed(extra work) osage is enough work already.

blackhawk · « **Reply #6 on:** June 21, 2011, 10:24:01 pm »

Shellac as Osage outlaw mentioned. I do the same thing. And its the easiest to remove of all sealants.

osage outlaw · « **Reply #7 on:** June 21, 2011, 11:39:26 pm »

And it don't smell

Pat B · « **Reply #8 on:** June 22, 2011, 12:52:29 am »

I also use shellac on any bare back, no matter of what wood or how old or seasoned it is. I keep a spray can of Bullseye shellac on my work bench all the time. To remove the shellac all it takes is a light sanding or scraping or a wipe down with denatured alcohol.

Pappy · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2011, 10:02:48 am »

peshikthe / i would make the bow asap but i have let them sit a long time(months) before and still have made shooters but i dont recommend this.

I don't undestand what you mean by this.

I also seal the back as soon as I get the bark and sap wood off ,even if I haven't chased a ring and then when I get to the ring I want, just good insurance. I use polly or watered down wood glue,pretty much what ever is handy at the time.

Pappy

peshikthe · « **Reply #10 on:** June 22, 2011, 10:45:34 am »

hey pappy i seal mine immediatly too when i first cut and let it season, but if i have chased a ring and gotten sidetracked by other projects(honey do's) sometimes i have no choice but to keep her happy(lol) and i have to let it set.l i use poly because its what i seal my bows with and it saves me a step later,but my backs and ends are sealed immediatley after ive chased my desired ring on the back, sometimes my typing and the words in my head get discombobulated between my brain and my keyboard. one thing i love about pa is the fact i can learn from newbies(not much more than one myself) and experts and bowmaking legends.

Pappy · « **Reply #11 on:** June 22, 2011, 10:56:08 am »

OK ,Got it.

I have done the same thing,I thought you ment after you chase a ring you try and make a bow ASAP,after I chase a ring and get it sealed I really like to let them set as long as I can stand it,sometimes years before I make a bow and sometimes the next day.

Pappy

Stringman · « **Reply #12 on:** June 22, 2011, 12:04:07 pm »

Hey Mark, Don't forget to take pics when you get to goin on them and let us know how they turn out. Not sure about the other stave, but I know the one I sent you could stand to be taken down to close then seal the ends and let her stand in the corner for a month or so. Pretty sure it wasn't totally dry and osage likes to be dry before you get to far into tillering.

hillbilly61 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 22, 2011, 12:51:14 pm »

The one i've had for a year and a half. I left the bark on, sealed the ends and stuck it up in the rafters. I took that one down and chased a ring yesterday and got it down to floor tiller. I let it sit last night while while I worked the other one Tihis morn I sealed the back and ens of all 3.

Steve....I was able to get 2 out of your 1

I like bend thru handle bows so those should work out pretty good. I put those 2 back in the rafters. I think I'll wait till mid-late Sept when it aint so dang HOT

Thanks for the info guys. I feel better knowing they are safe. That don't meen they will be when I get my tools out to work on them $:-\$

But it's good to know they are for the time being

snag · « **Reply #14 on:** June 22, 2011, 03:17:32 pm »

Hope it's ok if I chime in here on this. I usually take over a month to build a bow with all the other projects and stuff going on. If I have a stave roughed out, chased a ring on the osage, etc. Do I have to shellac the back of the bow until it is completed? Then lightly sand and finish it? Or can I just allow it to be exposed until I am at a point I can put my finish on the bow? It may be a month or so.....?

Primitive Archer