Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: osage outlaw on May 21, 2010, 10:31:17 pm
-
I am building a bow shop in the garage, and was wondering if it matters if staves are stored laying down, or standing up to dry. I was wanting to build a rack to stand them up vertically in. I was planning on putting a treated 2x8 on the bottom so they wouldn't be sitting on concrete. I looked through all of my bow building books and couldn't find any info on it.
-
the only problem i could think of with storing verticaly
would be the temp/humidity differance at floor level and 6 ft above floor level
it may or mat not have a difance,but i store horizontaly just incase ;)
-
All of my staves are leaning against a wall in my basement shop.
-
see i could just be over analytical and anal ;D
-
I store mine anywhere I can find more room. Most are in a rack laying down, with the back (bark side) up. But I do have some standing.
-
Thanks for the help. I think I will store them standing up. I will flip them every few months or so. I am not sure that will do anything, but you never know. Once I get my little (8'x24') shop done, I will post some pictures. I am still working on bows while working on the shop so everything is a big mess.
-
I may be wrong, and please correct me if I am. When you stand the staves on end, won't that let the sap settle to the bottom end? Making it dry unevenly? I know alot of y'all do but it just got me curious :-\
-
I got staves on racks. Leaning in the corner of my shop. Laying down on boards and I can't tell the difference in drying. The name of the game is time to get wood dried out.
-
I haven't noticed a difference but my gut tells me horizontal is better. Jawge
-
I use to keep stand vertical against wall, but have problems with this.
It is humid here, so the moisture stays low to the ground and bottom half of staves stay moist, sometimes mold in case of bamboo.
Maybe its not a problem in place with low humidity, but from now I will dry wood horizontally.
This is mostly true if direct sunlight does not shine on whole stave.
As long as you have air flow, which I think is most important.
-
I use to keep stand vertical against wall, but have problems with this.
It is humid here, so the moisture stays low to the ground and bottom half of staves stay moist, sometimes mold in case of bamboo.
Maybe its not a problem in place with low humidity, but from now I will dry wood horizontally.
This is mostly true if direct sunlight does not shine on whole stave.
As long as you have air flow, which I think is most important.
Yeah, I'll go along with airflow...mine are horizontal, high up on racks on the grage wall, the back door is always open, and there is a good gap around the big front door. The wind fairly whistles through.
Del
-
I tend to lay mine horizontal and off the floor, mainly because my basement likes to flood after a rain. Up in the ceiling rafters is an ideal location if you don't have a finished ceiling.
-
I have staves laying across sawhorses in a crawl space and staves standing on end in my basement. Neither location is ideal for drying, but it's the best space-wise. Just have to move on upstairs by the woodstove on in the hotbox when I'm working on one to get them dry.
-
Would an attic area be a good place to store staves?
-
Dmass- that's where I store mine, but make sure it does not get to hot or they will check on you if the ventilation is not decent.
-
I'm like Pat, wherever I have room.
[attachment deleted by admin]
-
staves, bamboo, elk antler, that's a lot of nice projects you got there!
-
I've got a shed in my back yard that I plan on building an overhang onto. If I made a small horizontal rack under this overhang, enough so rain won't touch it, would it be a good idea to let them dry that way, or is the open-air drying not the way to go?
-
too easy for bugs to get to them in open air,,
-
Eddie, I see you have one of Shannon's snaky staves. I've got one too but Shannon told me at the Classic they were heart breakers. Wear your hardhat and athletic cup when you start working on it. ;D
-
I hung a bunch of split bamboo, staves, and other stuff in my overhang and everything turned green over time - not the best.
-
When first cut I store it up in the barn. It's a pretty tight metal pole barn so bugs are a minor issue. After I split them they hang in the floor joists in the basement.
YMMV...
-
Mine look like Eddies- a durn mess of horizontal, vertical, diagonal, upside down, backwards, and sideways. Never noticed much difference except that really green staves can warp standing up sometimes if they're leaning.