moisture question

[iowabow]

I quartered out a bunch of osage last summer and cut one down the middle to make two staves and they seemed a little wet.  I checked them with the moisture meter and it said 19.   Do I need to stop and now let them dry more or am I good to continue working like normal.  I am not sure of the start point as it relate to moisture.

[JW_Halverson]

19% is still pretty high.  Does it still have the bark and sapwood on it?  If you take it down to heartwood and seal up the backs they will dry quicker.  Just don't forget to seal the backs!

[iowabow]

They are bark on.

[beetlebailey1977]

Yep I would get the bark and sapwood off of them.  Also beware if you work them down a good bit while wet that they will warp all over the place with you.  So clamp them to dry if you do.

[George Tsoukalas]

Osage work best at 8-10 %. Be certain that if you remove the bark and sapwood that you seal the back. Jawge

[PeteC]

Way to high on the MC.They will set very bad ,being so wet. Give the staves at least a year to cure,then rough out your bows and start weighing them ,to make sure they are not still losing weight. If you take them down to bow dimension now,you can probably get to tillering in 6 months,unless you have a heat box,then you can speed dry them . JMHO, God Bless

[iowabow]

Ok so I have a pile of 1/4 split wood so maybe I will cut them down the middle and let them sit another year.  I will leave the bark on so that I don't have to work so hard.   If anyone lives near by and wants to help I would send you home with a couple.

[iowabow]

I wanted to make a bow this month so I was bummed to see the MC so high but then I remebered that I traded Will for a stave.  These I will put up till next year.

[JW_Halverson]

  I will leave the bark on so that I don't have to work so hard.   

I've taken the bark and sapwood off cured staves.  That is the definition of hard work!  From talking with guys that deal with dozens of staves on a monthly basis, I have learned that getting the bark and sapwood off when it is still wet is much easier.  They almost all just rip down to yellow and seal 'em up.  From there the bowyer just needs to chase the growth ring. 

[iowabow]

Jw what do you use to seal them with?

[JW_Halverson]

latex paint
wood glue
pollie-you're-insane
shellac
lacquer
and the list goes on...

Find the cheapest or easiest thing locally and put on a couple of coats.  I have used cheap recycled paint from the landfill, since I am going to scrape it all off to chase the final growth ring I really didn't care.