Two vine maples staves - What am I doing?!?!?

[Shiloh]

So here are two vine maples staves I cut down about three weeks ago. The first one pictured is about 4 to 5" in diameter, though I had to split part of it when it cracked up the middle. It seems pretty decent, except for a knot running STRAIGHT through one end of it, probably about 2/3 up where the limbs will be. But I think I'll be able to work with it.

The second one wasn't split at all, though it has a problem spot where I had to lop off a branch. Do you guys think I'll still be able to use it?

Anyway, pics!



(Also, does anyone else see that reeeaaaallllyyyyy creepy face-looking thing 3/4 of the way up? HAUNTED STAVE!!!)




The problem child, so to speak.

Thanks for looking!

[Carson (CMB)]

On Vm of that diameter, I  rough it out with a drawknife or hatchet rather than trying to split it.  Get it roughed out and let it dry some more. 

[vinemaplebows]

It's doable, and if you have not cut much they are great! Try to be more picky next time though.

[randman]

I usually collect vine maple when I'm camping so I sit around the campfire and rough it out with a hatchet almost immediately. If you don't by the time it's seasoned it's Rock Hard. Most of the time I've peeled the bark I get massive reflex on drying so I've started leaving the bark on until it's seasoned for a while. You're still going to get reflex anyway but not as much as long as your back is the tension side of the limb. Vine maple is one of those woods where there's a distinct tension and compression side so you got to get the right side and you're only going to get 1 bow out of it. Use the other half for your smoker. Strap it down to something if you don't want to deal with too much reflex. I don't bother sealing it and haven't had a problem with checking or splitting. It gives up the moisture pretty fast and loves the heat treatment. 4" dia should get you a nice bow. I have a 1' Dia branch that is 40lbs at 26

If that knot is on the compression side (just a guess by the way the branch is curving) you're good to go, it'll be gone. Just a guess that the other one has the tension side the way it's curving and that split you did is on the lower side in the pic. I'm guessing that's the compression side by the split you carved off. You would know more then me by which side was up. If it were me I'd be working that wood right now. JMO

[dmenzies1950]

I'm pretty sure that both staves will make fine bows. I've made vine maple bows out of staves that were far funkyer than those seem to be.
Randman, I hate to leave the bark on vine maple cause it's so hard to get off when it's dry. I usually have to tiller the bow most of the way out and most of it pops off when it is bent, much to the detriment of my nerves,(It sounds like the bow is blowing apart)!
Just my opinion. Dale 

[ionicmuffin]

randman. apparently you can make bows out of the compression side of the vinemaple. talk to bryce. he made a bow out of the same trunk that he gave me his best stave from. I broke the stave, but he made an awesome bow out of the compression wood

[vinemaplebows]

I am not directing this statement at anyone.... But I have been cutting vine maple for 20 yrs, and I can tell you there is NOT always a compression side, and tension side....this ONLY applies to leaning vine maple not all vine maple leans, infact where I cut at least 20% of the wood grows straight up.(I have taken other bowyers to see in this patch) You can make a servicable bow out of either compression, or tension side. Seems everyone always refers to what John strunk has said, and I can't disagree more. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A VERY PREFORMANCE RELATED BOW than yes, tension side does have it's advantages.

[Bryce]

randman. apparently you can make bows out of the compression side of the vinemaple. talk to bryce. he made a bow out of the same trunk that he gave me his best stave from. I broke the stave, but he made an awesome bow out of the compression wood

sure did

[Maxspin]

I am not directing this statement at anyone.... But I have been cutting vine maple for 20 yrs, and I can tell you there is NOT always a compression side, and tension side....this ONLY applies to leaning vine maple not all vine maple leans, infact where I cut at least 20% of the wood grows straight up.(I have taken other bowyers to see in this patch) You can make a servicable bow out of either compression, or tension side. Seems everyone always refers to what John strunk has said, and I can't disagree more. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A VERY PREFORMANCE RELATED BOW than yes, tension side does have it's advantages.

I can attest to that. My crappy cell phone pictures do not do Brian’s Vine Maple “forest” justice.
He has access to some outstanding wood.



You can’t find the compression side on most of these.

Keith

[vinemaplebows]

Thanks for the added pics keith, how ya doing? By the way you didn't miss anything when we were going to get together the wood was not out there! I was bummed to drive so far for nothing! :embarassed:

[PEARL DRUMS]

Thats it! Brian your brilliant. Osage is the best bow wood forever and ever will be because its compression side runs ALLLLLL the way around all the trees! Finally.......an answer!

[vinemaplebows]

Yes, your right the downward force has incredible compression therefore I think we can say all wood in compression prone! 

[Shiloh]

Thanks for all the great advice guys! To be perfectly honest I'm REALLY new to tree staves, so a lot of this is still somewhat foreign territory for me. I've read both the 1st and 2nd volumes of the TBB, but for some reason it's a lot different when there's a log staring you in the face and you've got to figure it out. 

I don't know if I said this before, but I'm really not trying to go for an uber high-performance bow here. I'm just hoping to gain some experience using tree staves, and if I don't screw it up, possibly using one for a hunting bow.

[randman]

I stand corrected. Some of you guys have lots more experience with this than I do. I usually look for the stuff that grows almost horizontal and use the side that faces the sky.