Oak stave treatment advice

[Ozi Sapling]

Hi guys,

Hope for some advice on the treatment process for a newly acquired oak stave.
It's a sapling, 2.75" diameter at one end, 2.5" at the other, around 78" long.  Straight along one plane, a wobble along the other.
 
Collected mid winter here in Oz (day after solstice in fact) and I'm told by wiser heads than mine that the sap is 'down' (thanks Meanewood) but in honesty I don't understand the implications of that.

So far, I've 'drained it', covered the ends in PVA glue to seal, but nothing else.

What next?  Do I take the bark off now?  Rough it out to approx shape? Or leave it alone?

Thanks you fine fellows.

[Ozi Sapling]

stave by Ozi Sapling, on Flickr

Stave straight line by Ozi Sapling, on Flickr

Stave_bend line by Ozi Sapling, on Flickr

[Ozi Sapling]

Steve end by Ozi Sapling, on Flickr

[George Tsoukalas]

Sap is shown in the winter and flows in the summer so it should come off easily now unless you waited too long.

I wrote a little on my site on main sapling bows.

http://traditionalarchery101.com/saplingbow.html

Jawge

[DC]

A lesson. I was given a beautiful wiggly Yew stave by Sabo. I roughly roughed it out and let it dry. It decided to warp in a direction I hadn't anticipated, sideways. I have been trying to get it straight for months. If I had left it whole until it had dried I could have shaped it the way it wanted to be. It would have taken longer to dry, yes, but I would have a beautiful bow now instead of a bunch of frustration standing in the corner.

[Pat B]

Ideally for "whitewood"(oak considered whitewood) you want to cut it when the sap is up(during growing season) so the bark will peel off leaving a pristine back for your bow. Since this stave was winter cut(sap down) it will be more difficult to remove the bark.  The end cut of the stave posted like like it was fresh cut, not months ago. Maybe that is the glue sealer.
 I would determine which side would be the back, split the stave(saw if the grain is straight), remove the bark, seal the back and get the stave to floor tiller stage. Then bind it to something rigid(a like dimensional lumber) and let it dry for a few months.
 By sealing the ends and not removing the bark you have reduced the amount of moisture released so a good drying time is needed now before you can safely tiller the bow.

[bassman]

What Pat B said, but after floor tiller stage I put mine on a 3 inch back set form taking the twists out of the stave, and lining the tips with riser clamping as you go. Then let it dry in your cellar or basement.When dry,and before you take it off of the form give it a good belly heat treat. When you take it off the form it should straight with back set, and tips lined up with the middle of the riser.Then tiller ,and keep as much back set as you can in the process.

[Ozi Sapling]

Thanks guys,

Sounds like I have some options:
- leave it as is for a long time, in which case it should keep it's form.
- remove the bark and rough it out to 'floor tiller' stage, then strap it to something to maintain the shape, for a quicker dry. (Yes Pat B - it is a fresh cut. It wasn't sealed yet in the image. So I'll experience what difficult to remove bark is like.  It'll be good for me).
- get it to floor tiller and then play with back sets and clamping.

I might go with the middle option for now, since I'm still very new to the game.

Is 'floor tillering stage' to brace?  Or just roughly to shape?

[Pat B]

You're in the Southern Hemisphere so your growing season is opposite of ours. You said you collected it at the winter solstice. Is that June or January?
 The sooner you get the bark off the sooner it will dry. You can go to floor tiller stage without stressing the unseasoned stave. By the time you get to low brace you've started stressing the wood so don't brace until it's dry.

[burchett.donald]

   Take the cambium off while it's still wet...

[Ozi Sapling]

mid winter was last weekend here Pat B (June).  So it's a 'brand new' stave.  For the first few hours I stood it up, it drained liquid.

OK, so floor tillering is different to even a low brace.  Can you explain to me what floor tillering means then please?

Sorry for all the questions - I'm thirsty for knowledge!!

[Pat B]

To floor tiller a stave you place one limb on the floor and hold the other limb at the tip and push against the handle trying to bend both limbs evenly. While bending sight down the lower limb and look for stiff areas and bends and make a note of the resistance. Then flip over the stave and check the other limb. You not only to see and compare(the best you can)not only the bend but how close the bends and tension are. This is a very basic check of the bend. If you are in the ballpark with both limbs it's time to move to the next step. For me it long string on the tiller tree. Some folks go directly to low brace from floor tiller but for me the steps in between are critical to insure both limbs are bending evenly and together.
 Hope this is helpful. If not, ask more questions.
 Post pics as you progress so we can walk you through the process.