Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Knoll on September 16, 2014, 04:48:31 pm
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Temps have turned on a dime. Today is cool & cloudy. Good day for walk in the woods.
As a bonus, brought first log home. This piece of hickory home.
(http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac48/knolltop314/100_2755.jpg)
It's 67" in length. Diameter (inside bark) is 5 1/2" at butt end and 4" at top. There's 4 visible knots. Given the diameter of this log, should I plan to obtain just 2 staves from it?
First knot is 23" from butt end.
(http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac48/knolltop314/100_2757.jpg)
Remaining 3 knots are concentrated 47" - 54" from butt end. One on left side of log and two (one above the other) on right side.
(http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac48/knolltop314/100_2758.jpg)
IF it splits just right, I'll have just 1 knot in "left" split stave and other 3 will be in "right" stave.
Ends are painted.
What have I not done that needs doing right now?
Splitting should be interesting as that will be a 1st too.
Cheers!
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Those are some nasty knots man id try to do my best to keep those out of the finished bow or bows
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Try to plan your first split well, and see what your left with
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"Diameter (w/ bark on) is 21 1/2" at butt end and 14 1/2" at top."
Hm...that looks a lot smaller. Don't you mean circumfence? That would equal 5" - 7" diameter, which seems more plausible.
Those knots are nasty as $%^&. To be perfectly honest with you, I don't rate that log bow wood worthy. An experienced bowyer might be able to salvage a character bow from it, but this is not a beginners log at all. Couldn't you get anything straighter with less knots or no knots at all?
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I'd go ahead and split it in half, give a few weeks and split out the staves.
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I would be more optimistic than most. Worst case I see is the top half of the log Might be unusable, but the bottom half is fine. I am not by any means a splitting expert, but I see 2 staves in there.
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Chances are the bark is stuck fast being so. Late in the season.i don't know much about hickory,but if it's any thing like elm I would kerf cut it with a circular saw so it doesn't split all wonky.
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"Diameter (w/ bark on) is 21 1/2" at butt end and 14 1/2" at top."
Hm...that looks a lot smaller. Don't you mean circumfence? That would equal 5" - 7" diameter, which seems more plausible.
You're correct! Op corrected.
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True, not the best quality log. Over anxious to bring home the 1st. And it seemed longer when standing as a tree!
If it splits "wrong", will have firewood.
If it splits "right", have chance to workaround the one knot that will be remaining in left-side stave.
Log is so small that appears one split is all there'll be ... but will see.
Thanks for the observations & recommends!
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yes split and see what happens,, gotta be a bow in there, even if it is billets
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If you cannot get a decent stave, you can probably make a backward bow or an edge ring bow. I would split it in half and see what it looks like inside.
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gotta be a bow in there, even if it is billets
Duhhhh, hadn't considered billets. :-[ Thanks!
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yes ,, we will just keep giving suggestions till something sounds good,,, :)
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Work it even if there isn't a bow to be had in that log, that way you'll have a mess of bark and wood shavings on the floor like a proper bowyers den should be. >:D
Your shop space is much to tidy Michael. :)