Help with first bow

[Spitfirezach]

Im ready to take my first stab at it! I've had a hard time trying to locate a decent affordable stave for my first bow. Then realized the weed like tree in my back yard is a locust! Its coming down !! Its approximately 3" at the base and im wondering how to approach this. Do I go to work immediately? Or How would I season it, if first necessary? Any and all tips would be greatly appreciated!

[loon]

May want to look at John Riggs's Bow Maker's Notebook, and his youtube videos..

You'll definitely have to dry it, but you could reduce it to rough dimensions first. I guess the issue is avoiding checking, drying cracks if you do that.

[Eric Garza]

First, is the tree even bow-worthy? Will it yield a section of knot-free trunk long enough to make a bow of your desired length? Does the trunk have too much twist?

If yes and you decide to cut it down, seasoning is ideal but not necessary. You can make a decent bow by speed-drying wood. This entails cutting the bow to rough dimensions and letting it dry in a hot car or a warm, dry place for a month or so until it reaches equilibrium with the surrounding air. Locust can be a finicky wood, so be prepared to be patient.

[Pat B]

For a 3" locust I'd cut it to length, finding the best section of the trunk, split it in half, lengthwise. If you are sure the tree didn't grow in a spiral sawing is an option too. After the pole has been halved bind the 2 halves together with small wood spacers between then for good air circulation and set it aside for a few months to dry. This will keep both halves from twisting while drying and from taking too much reflex.
 You could cut each half to floor tiller stage before binding them together for a drying period.  If you have access to lumber you could make forms to bind the halves to that would help prevent twisting but you could add controlled reflex while drying.
 Don't remove the bark yet. Once the staves have dried the bark should come off fairly easily being that you harvested the wood during the early growing season.  Be sure to seal the ends of the staves. Wax, paint, shellac, varnish, wood glue will all do the sealing job.
  You won't have much heartwood so build the bow with the sapwood. If the bark removes easily use what's under it for your back.