My broadleaf maple "learner" staves are drying in the basement (probably not vine maple, as I originally thought, but I'll know in the spring from the new shoots). I've debarked, split, and roughed out the sides of the staves but not the bellies so far.
I have a very old apple tree that produces great fruit, but it's too out of control tall be be a good producer of reachable apples. Accordingly, I cut three of the tall limbs from it today (leaving three others) to start getting it back under control. They are about 4" to 7" in diameter. The trunk must be 2' across!
Hopefully at least some of the limbs will not be too twisty and they won't check. The Boyer's Bible Vol. 4 says that apples is prone to checking and twisting but, other than that, is a good bow wood. What is the best approach to processing and drying to reduce the chance of checking? Sure--I'll coat the ends very well with latex paint or wood glue but what about:
1. debarking now vs. later
2. splitting now vs. later
3. roughing out
I'm in no hurry for the staves. I don't care if it takes a year or more for them to dry, if there's a way to reduce the chance of checking.
Thanks!