You won't believe what I found!

[Lee Slikkers]

Brock, you got everything all ready to rip when your buds come in on Saturday morning?  Please take some pics of the camp and elk if you, I'd LOVE to see it.

Hmmm, in shape for Elk Camp huh?  How about instead of trading Elm for Hackberry I cut up two 12"-14" Elms, split em, debark em and seal em and deliver them to you when I show to Elk hunt with ya    LOL

Be safe up there and the best of luck to you guys!

[bcbull]

lee you come on out  well put in for tags about jan  so plan on next year kerry and kent will be here and maybe dvs and hon8  possibly loyd  so if u wanna go plan on it bro  haha i got plenty that elm haha so u keep it lol  wish i could find a couple high school boys to come split some for me lol cuz i aint doin it lol will keep the pic s posted  another 24 hr s scott will be here  hopin jr makes it he may not his father in law has been real sick and in i c u  so not sure if he s coming  ill keep ya posted brock

[Dazv]

You are one lucky man.

[Kitsu]

nice haul, yew are pretty lucky to have found some good wood

[bcbull]

lee talked to scott  he left early this a m  will be here around midnite  jr isnt gonna make it his fathern law has been real sick and in icu very near death im told so will pray for him just got a new tire on the 5 th wheele gercoies bought now im ready to roll think ill go shoot this evening somthin to do w the time til scotts here maybe start takin the sap of of another snakey osaGE STAVE LOL brock

[Weylin]

Just to add to Brock's statement about debarking the yew. I also stripped some bark off of some yew and I got the same warning from Gordon. He said the sapwood will check without the bark. We slapped some shellac on the exposed sapwood to slow down the drying.

[Lee Slikkers]

lee talked to scott  he left early this a m  will be here around midnite  jr isnt gonna make it his fathern law has been real sick and in icu very near death im told so will pray for him just got a new tire on the 5 th wheele gercoies bought now im ready to roll think ill go shoot this evening somthin to do w the time til scotts here maybe start takin the sap of of another snakey osaGE STAVE LOL brock

Brock, that is a killer offer and I may just have to take you up on it!  Drop me a note when if gets near the Application period and I'll give you a call to sort out all the details.

Sorry to hear Jr can't make it but he is doing the right thing and being with those that need him most.

You and Scott have a "killer"  time up there, we're living vicariously through you guys!

Best of Luck!

[Lee Slikkers]

Just to add to Brock's statement about debarking the yew. I also stripped some bark off of some yew and I got the same warning from Gordon. He said the sapwood will check without the bark. We slapped some shellac on the exposed sapwood to slow down the drying.

The sapwood will check even if you seal the whole stave?  I wonder if that is mostly because of the dry environment out there vs humid MI?  Guess I get to find out on there 3 Yew staves 

[fusizoli]

Last pic right is elm.
Congrats for all

[blackhawk]

Lee...just seal the sapwood,ends,and several inches along the belly and sides from the ends. I debarked,sealed(shellac),and roughed down a couple staves of my yew overhaul and there fine so far. They've moved some due to the rapid moisture loss. So I learned yew needs to season slow,and the slower the better. So now im leaving the bark on the rest of it and wait the long wait for it. Its the right thing to do. Try to put your staves in a cool high Rh environment for the first several to 6 months before moving them in a warmer drier environment.

[Lee Slikkers]

Thanks Fuz!

Chris, I haven't split them as they are not the largest of diameter Yews and they are sealed both ends & all sapwood.  I have them in the basement which currently is fairly cool with AC upstairs so that should be good and in about 2 months we'll kick the heat on so that should help jump start the drying process too.  You remember where I had the BL stacked in my back basement?...well you can't even see any of the BL now sense the pile surrounding them is getting HUGE     I have the 2 larger Elms to debark and then I think the only thing I will harvest and put up to dry yet this year is some more Osage and definitely some more Yew.

[blackhawk]

Id keep a real close eye on them Lee. Me personally I wood reduce a lil off the belly to make sure it don't check on the back. I think its a possibility that yew might check in the manner you currently have your staves. Reducing some belly wood will reduce this possibility to zero.

[Lee Slikkers]

Ahh, ok...I see what you are saying, makes more sense than the way I currently have them and they'd likely dry faster your way.  I'll drag them back outside and look at them closely for the best bow layout and then reduce them like you mentioned.  Thanks for keeping an eye on this newb!  LOL