Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: makenzie71 on November 28, 2009, 09:23:42 pm
-
I've never cured my own lumber before...I've got a good enough chunk of bodark to cut maybe three or four staves from, but I'm in a big hurry (I would like one at least floor tillered by the 4th). Anyone have any ideas about how to go about speeding up the drying process without damage? Heating (low temp, of course)?
Ideas appreciated.
-
If you try to speed dry them that quick, you will wind up with nothing. The best option would be to rough it out, seal the ends and back and leave it for a month or more.
-
Osage is one wood I wouldn't even think about speed drying, it checks bad enough on it's own. I'd do as Justin said, if it were me.
-
yeah yeah figures as much...I'm going to go ahead and quarter it with the bark on and throw it in the attic. I may go ahead and try to kiln a stave since I do have an abundance of bodark, but I don't know yet. I might try and find some that's already cured.
-
I'd de bark them and chase a ring before you put them up, the borers will have a hay day with them if not.
-
I thought this stuff was pretty resilient to bugs...I'll strip the bark off, carve a little, then seal it.
-
It's always good insurance, most of the time they just eat sapwood, but I have seen them down deep in heartwood.
-
bugs love osage (bodark) sap wood. also i have seen kiln dried osage lumber, its not pretty. full of huge checks warps. I have two staves i am speed drying right now. I have doing it as slowly as possible for 2 months. first i qtr the log, removed the bark and sapwood and sealed the backs with urethane and the ends with titebond III. then i let the staaves stabilize for a week. then they went into my hot box at 110 degrees. I take them out and look for checks every nite. I've started working them down to bow deminsions last week. they will be floor tillered today. and then in the box for 2 more weeks before final tiller. the point being, that this is as fast as i would go. I say give your staves time to dry it will be worth it in the end.
-
i never speed dry my osage just split it, debark it with sap wood off, seal it and i never use any of my wood till it drys for at least 1 year then when i start on it i can hear and feel if it needs more time to dry, i aint no expert by no means that is just the way i do it.