New!

[xXKyojinXx]

I GREATLY enjoy being able to do and make things on my own. I think it's pretty much the essence of 'freedom'. I've done a far bit of archery and that got me really interested in making bows. Turns out there's a pretty sizable chunk of the populace making bows in their basements. So I figured I ought to get in the community too.

I picked up some books on making bows and some very detailed books on the kinds of trees that grow in Ontario. I've gone through the woods, attempted to identify some trees (not too easy midwinter, as it turns out) and now I've got a nice piece of mystery wood curing in the basement. (I couldn't figure out what it was, but I tested it out well and it seemed to be the best option I've found yet). Anyways, I hope you guys can help to guide me through the rest.

[Pat B]

Welcome to xXKyojinXx. Do you have a nick name?   
Identifying the tree is important so you can identify the woods properties so you can design the best bow for that wood.
 Looking forward to having you join us.

[xXKyojinXx]

My real name is Aidan if that's simpler. x'D And yeah...I'm pretty good at identifying trees (except the hybridized ones; they're a little ambiguous). It's not too easy to do that midwinter in Canada though. Thanks for the warm welcome.

[lostarrow]

Where are you ,Aidan. There's more than a few of us in London. Might be able to help you get on your way !

[xXKyojinXx]

Brantford, Ontario. Fairly close to London. Ahaha, nice place overall.

[PrimitiveTim]

Welcome!  It's good that you can ID trees.  That's kind of important.  Archery has forced me to learn almost all the trees in the forest.

[xXKyojinXx]

Good news regarding trees! The cold wave in Canada is killing many of the emerald ash borers (I have no sympathy because they're an invasive species that murder perfectly good ash trees). The bad news is that it's gotten colder than Mars at some points (literally). Like, -41degC with windchill. For a couple days it was actually colder than the North Pole. Really brutal. You pretty much have to cover every bit of skin to avoid frostbite, as well as wearing goggles, if you don't have a car but still need to get around. 

But I've started digressing before even talking about whatever the heck I was going to talk about. The branch I got for my first bow is getting a few cracks from the drying process (nothing too bad, I think I can still salvage the project). I was wondering if anyone might have some insight. How do some of you go about seasoning wood?

(I'm asking here because there doesn't seem to be much of a point to starting a whole new thread for such a question. But maybe I'm wrong)

[Danzn Bar]

Well if cool weather will kill the emerald ash borer, I'm all for it.  It's here in Kentucky and I've seen what them little suckers can do.  It could be as bad as the chestnut blight in the 30's but I hope not. there's not an American chestnut in the us that bears nuts due to the blight.  I know of some that gets to bearing nuts and the first year the blight hits it and the nuts are no good.  The chestnuts were as important or more ..as the ash before the 1920's, and they are all gone.  A good reason to keep things where they belong, where they are native.
DBar

[Pat B]

You could go ahead and reduce the stave to almost bow shape. It will give the moisture a place to get out without checking the wood.
 Be sure the ends are sealed and if you remove the bark from the back seal the back.

[xXKyojinXx]

Danzn: Unfortunately that's impossible. :/ As long as the west visits the east and the north visits the south, you're gonna have invasive species. Heck, maybe it's just the natural way for global uniformity to become common eventually. Isn't that the only way? Based on how species survive and adapt? Nevertheless, f**k ash borers.

Pat B: And THEREIN lies the issue. I went about this all wrong. Might just as well have taken a fallen branch off the ground. x'D Thanks for the advice.