Hackberry?

[wasanchez]

I have read on here that hackberry will make a good bow and I am going to look at a tree that fell at one of coworkers house yesterday.  She said part of it was starting to die and a strong wind pushed it over yesterday evening.  From her description I think its a pretty big tree maybe 14-16 inches across.  They are gonna cut it on Sunday and I'm gonna help and I plan on bring a log home.  Do I need to split it and debark it or can I just seal the ends?  Also which part of the wood is better for bows, sap wood or heart wood?  And whats the best method for splitting something that big into stave form?  Man thats alot of questions...  Thanks for the help.

Walt

[osage outlaw]

If the bark will peal off, I would get it off the log.  It will be a lot harder to remove after it sets up on there.  Once you remove the bark and cambium layer, you are looking at the back of your bow.  You don't have to chase a ring or anything, just use the outside of the log.  As far as sealing, the last hackberry I cut, I sealed all the ends and the backs of the staves except for a couple.  The ones I didn't seal had a few small checks in the ends, but nothing major and the backs were fine.  I kept them out of the sun and out of the heat so that might have helped prevent checking.  To split the log, you will need a large hammer and some wedges.  I start the split with a hatchet and then use the wedges from there.  Good luck with it.

[Pat B]

Since the tree was dying just be sure that the inner wood doesn't have any discoloration.

[JW_Halverson]

I definitely agree with splitting/debarking/sealing immediately.  I have taken bark off hackberry after it has cured, but it is a lot like work.  Plus you have a greater chance of messing up the back of the bow that way.  When it is freshly cut you can grab the bark and peel it off nice and slick.

The fastest and easiest way to seal the back is to use a spray can of shellac.  It covers nicely, dries in a minute, and three coats will seal the deal! 

You can take the shellac off with alcohol later, or just lightly hit it with a scraper and some sandpaper. 

Personally, I can't get my hands on enough hackberry!

[wasanchez]

So seal the back too, not just the ends?

Walt

[JW_Halverson]

You betcha!  Once that bark is off the wood will lose moisture so fast that the back will shrink faster than the core beneath. It has to let go of that stress somehow...and that 's where it cracks and checks happen. 

Cheap paint, wood glue, shellac, polyurathane, anything like that will usually seal the back until it is ready to work.

[criveraville]

Walt do you have any wood to work with in the time being?

Cipriano

[wasanchez]

I have one osage stave drying that will start working on in the next few weeks.  And I'm working off and on on osage kids bow for my nephew.  The stave thats drying will hopefully be my hunting bow this year if I get it done and if I'm conifident enough in my accuracy.

Walt

[wasanchez]

Ok, I just picked up the log and there is some discoloration all the way through the middle.  The picture shows the lower side of the log, the rot goes through but its not as much on the upper side.  Is this worth splitting.  If I can get a couple staves out of it I'll be happy, but if this effects the integrity of the whole log and its not worth fooling with I don't want to waste time.  Thanks for the help.

Walt

[JW_Halverson]

I'd say get it split and start tearing off the bark.  Hard to tell from just the butt end sticking out there! 

Man, I hope it's in good shape because that looks like a pile of really nice bows sitting there, buddy. 

[DarkSoul]

It looks like that wood has been dead for a long time. A lot of drying checks where the bark has chipped off. Too much discoloration to just ignore it. If it were my log, I'd call it firewood...sorry mate. What does the other end look like? Does it have the same amount of discoloration?

[okie64]

Bummer, that doesnt look good at all. Too bad cause that is a big chunk of wood. You could try splitting it and see what it looks like on the inside, hackberry splits really easy so it wouldnt be that much more work.

[JW_Halverson]

After all, even if it's just gonna end up firewood you gotta split it anyway.   

But I am not entirely sure it's too far gone.  Maybe that's my unwillingness to give up on wood because I live in a bow wood desert, you'll have to make the final decision based on what's inside that log.

[osage outlaw]

With the amount of time and effort you are going to put into splitting that thing, you might be better off looking for a more lively tree.  I think Hackberry is pretty common in Texas.

[wasanchez]

Flat couldn't get it split.  I don't have any splitting wedges so its a bit of a job to split one dang near 2 foot across.  I had to call for today, I'm taking the wife out for supper and we had to get cleaned up.  I'm lucky the good Lord blessed me wife that doesn't mind getting her hands dirty.  The other end doesn't look as bad maybe just shy of half is discolored.  I am gonna pick it back up in the morning and try to finish splitting it before I leave for work.  I think I will be able to get a few staves out of it, if I can get 2 or 3 I'll be satisfied. 

Walt