Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Wiggy on June 08, 2009, 12:51:03 pm
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I cut a dogwood sapling, and stripped the bark off of it. It's now one every even, nice looking piece of wood, so I knew I had to seal it up or it would crack. The only thing I had to seal it with was some "Tripple thick high gloss glaze", and I coated the whole thing with it. But then I got to thinking (which is dangerous for me ;D) but if I seal the whole thing, how will it dry? Should I of reduced the belly section a little and then just seal the back and ends, or is doing the whole thing going to do anything to help it?
I would of left the bark on it, but there's a bad bug problem around here and I know there's a good chance that it would have some bug damage, or at least bugs living in the bark, but thankfully it's a very clear piece with only one major knot that I'm pretty sure I can work around.
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Wiggy
You cannot stop moisture from exiting your piece of wood or entering it for that matter, all you can do is slow it down.
Put it in a dry spot and wait, it'll come along.
Ronnie
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Seal the back and the ends of the stave and leave the belly as is. You want a majority of the moisture escaping from the belly side that way if it checks, it will be removed anyways. Make sense? But as cracker said, you can't stop the moisture from escaping, but you can push it in the direction of your choosing (the belly). Leave it be for a month or so unless you have a moisture meter and can measure it then you'll have yourself a bowstave.
Best Regards-
Ian MIttelberg
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Wiggy:
If your sapling is large enough to get more that one bow from... I would split it into half and let dry that way.
The backs will be sealed and the bellies will not.
If you sapling will make only one bow... I would go ahead and cut the belly side down ( some ) and let it dry that way.
If you do either of these reseal the entire ends ( belly side and all) ( very well ) up about 4". This will help prevent cracks in the ends.
The stave will dry with sealer all over it but it will take a good long time.
Thanks
David
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I only seal the ends because thats were cracks develop
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i just seal my ends and back with a coat of chaep elmers wood glue seems to work real good for me.
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I just seal the ends. For some woods, like osage and Black Locust, you'll want to keep the bark on as the sapwood starts to crack, and these cracks go might go into the heartwood (or you remove the sapwood directly after finishing). For many other woods, this isn't neccesary, and a simple seal at the end will prevent checking. however, I have a hazel bow with a 6" crack in the fades. Since it runs along with the grain, this isn't problematic.
Nick
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I gave up on that "gloss" stuff I found, it was ancient and pretty much flaked off. So, I used some spar urethane on the back and ends. I brushed some paint on the ends too. After one night in the shed, the ends had aleady started a little crack on both sides. Nothing big, but I was amazed on how quickly that happened even with the paint and urethane on it.
I decided to take some material off the belly, and work it down a little, and after this I sprayed another couple coats of the urethane on the back, repainted and sprayed the urethane on the ends and about 4" up each side on the belly. After all that dries, I'll clamp it to a board to help keep it from warping.
Do you think I should leave it in the shed or bring it inside? Out there the temperature is consistantly around 80-90 degrees, with moderate to heavy humidity.