Sapling bow ?

[Jax666]

I have to cut some brush out of my fence row and spotted a maple limb that might make a sapling bow. It appears a little over 2" in the mid section. I would like to get it started drying if it is long enough when cut. Do I have to split it or can I just rough it out prior to drying. One guy said to put block of wood under the tips. Would that make the reflex the wrong direction? I have a nice piece of osage to work on, but thought the sapling might be fun to whittle once it is dry. Not expecting much.
Jerry

[Pat B]

Jerry, it will depends on the type of maple it is.   For a 2" diameter pole I'd figure out which side is the back and reduce the belly side of both limbs, leaving the handle round.  You can clamp it down with the blocks under the belly side of the tips to induce reflex.

[George Tsoukalas]

If they're limbs it would be a limbo. Jawge

[Jax666]

If they're limbs it would be a limbo. Jawge

Jawge, that would be perfect for me I have been in limbo for years.

[Jax666]

Jerry, it will depends on the type of maple it is.   For a 2" diameter pole I'd figure out which side is the back and reduce the belly side of both limbs, leaving the handle round.  You can clamp it down with the blocks under the belly side of the tips to induce reflex.

Pat, I am not sure of the type of maple. That is what I thought about the reflex. I read that build a sapling bow is good practice for building a sapling bow and building a board bow is good practice to build a board bow, but I would still rather screw a piece fire wood than my nice stave.
Jerry

[Pat B]

Give it a try. It will have a high crown so be sure the belly is flat. Make the bow as long as possible and practical.

[bambam]

Go back to my thread of Jan 8---good way to straighten sapling staves. This is simple and works.

[Josh B]

I concur with Pat on reducing it down and leaving the handle round.  The only thing I would add to that is seal the back and all the way around the round handle section including the fades.  If you don't seal up the part left round it will check to the center in a few days.  Josh

[Jax666]

Seal the back, tips, handle, and fades? The good news is if I ruin a piece of fire wood it still burns. If I ruin that nice osage I would cry.

[Jax666]

Go back to my thread of Jan 8---good way to straighten sapling staves. This is simple and works.

Bambam nails in a 2X4?

[Josh B]

Seal the back, tips, handle, and fades? The good news is if I ruin a piece of fire wood it still burns. If I ruin that nice osage I would cry.

Yes.  I just received an unpleasant reminder two weeks ago of what happens when you fail to seal the handle and fade area.  I cut six saplings, drawknifed the bark off and reduced them with a hatchet only to find out that my little can of polyurethane was no longer in my toolbox.  That was on a Tuesday.   By Friday, when I got home, they had all checked through the handle.  Not small cracks either.  Every one of them split at least a 1/4" wide all the way to the center.  Josh