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Offline Knoll

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First log
« on: September 16, 2014, 04:48:31 pm »
Temps have turned on a dime.  Today is cool & cloudy.  Good day for walk in the woods.

As a bonus, brought first log home.  This piece of hickory home.


It's 67" in length.  Diameter (inside bark) is 5 1/2" at butt end and 4" at top.  There's 4 visible knots.  Given the diameter of this log, should I plan to obtain just 2 staves from it?

First knot is 23" from butt end.


Remaining 3 knots are concentrated 47" - 54" from butt end.  One on left side of log and two (one above the other) on right side.


IF it splits just right, I'll have just 1 knot in "left" split stave and other 3 will be in "right" stave.

Ends are painted.

What have I not done that needs doing right now?

Splitting should be interesting as that will be a 1st too.

Cheers!
« Last Edit: September 16, 2014, 06:15:52 pm by Knoll »
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Offline Joec123able

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Re: First log
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2014, 05:04:12 pm »
Those are some nasty knots man id try to do my best to keep those out of the finished bow or bows
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Offline wizardgoat

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Re: First log
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2014, 05:36:52 pm »
Try to plan your first split well, and see what your left with
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Offline DarkSoul

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Re: First log
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2014, 05:44:29 pm »
"Diameter (w/ bark on) is 21 1/2" at butt end and 14 1/2" at top."
Hm...that looks a lot smaller. Don't you mean circumfence? That would equal 5" - 7" diameter, which seems more plausible.

Those knots are nasty as $%^&.  To be perfectly honest with you, I don't rate that log bow wood worthy. An experienced bowyer might be able to salvage a character bow from it, but this is not a beginners log at all. Couldn't you get anything straighter with less knots or no knots at all?
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Offline Pat B

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Re: First log
« Reply #4 on: September 16, 2014, 05:48:32 pm »
I'd go ahead and split it in half, give a few weeks and split out the staves.
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Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: First log
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2014, 05:53:12 pm »
I would be more optimistic than most. Worst case I see is the top half of the log Might be unusable, but the bottom half is fine. I am not by any means a splitting expert, but I see 2 staves in there.
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Offline bushboy

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Re: First log
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2014, 06:43:04 pm »
Chances are the bark is stuck fast being so. Late in the season.i don't know much about hickory,but if it's any thing like elm I would kerf cut it with a circular saw so it doesn't split all wonky.
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Offline Knoll

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Re: First log
« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2014, 07:28:21 pm »
Quote from: DarkSoul on September 16, 2014, 05:44:29 pm
"Diameter (w/ bark on) is 21 1/2" at butt end and 14 1/2" at top."
Hm...that looks a lot smaller. Don't you mean circumfence? That would equal 5" - 7" diameter, which seems more plausible.
You're correct!  Op corrected.
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... alone in distant woods or fields, in unpretending sproutlands or pastures tracked by rabbits, even in a bleak and, to most, cheerless day .... .  I suppose that this value, in my case, is equivalent to what others get by churchgoing & prayer.  Hank Thoreau, 1857

Offline Knoll

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Re: First log
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2014, 07:44:14 pm »
True, not the best quality log.  Over anxious to bring home the 1st.  And it seemed longer when standing as a tree!
If it splits "wrong", will have firewood.
If it splits "right",  have chance to workaround the one knot that will be remaining in left-side stave.
Log is so small that appears one split is all there'll be ... but will see.

Thanks for the observations & recommends!
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... alone in distant woods or fields, in unpretending sproutlands or pastures tracked by rabbits, even in a bleak and, to most, cheerless day .... .  I suppose that this value, in my case, is equivalent to what others get by churchgoing & prayer.  Hank Thoreau, 1857

Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: First log
« Reply #9 on: September 16, 2014, 08:29:54 pm »
yes split and see what happens,, gotta be a bow in there, even if it is billets
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Offline scp

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Re: First log
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2014, 08:36:25 pm »
If you cannot get a decent stave, you can probably make a backward bow or an edge ring bow. I would split it in half and see what it looks like inside.
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Offline Knoll

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Re: First log
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2014, 08:41:17 pm »
Quote from: bradsmith2010 on September 16, 2014, 08:29:54 pm
gotta be a bow in there, even if it is billets
Duhhhh, hadn't considered billets.   :-[  Thanks!
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... alone in distant woods or fields, in unpretending sproutlands or pastures tracked by rabbits, even in a bleak and, to most, cheerless day .... .  I suppose that this value, in my case, is equivalent to what others get by churchgoing & prayer.  Hank Thoreau, 1857

Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: First log
« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2014, 08:47:36 pm »
yes ,, we will just keep giving suggestions till something sounds good,,, :)
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Offline Badly Bent

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Re: First log
« Reply #13 on: September 16, 2014, 10:06:09 pm »
Work it even if there isn't a bow to be had in that log, that way you'll have a mess of bark and wood shavings on the floor like a proper bowyers den should be. >:D
Your shop space is much to tidy Michael. :)
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