whats the least amount of time to let wood dry ?

[littlehunters19862011]

i cut a small white oak down. i thank about a month or so ago and sealed the ends and have let it set . i took it to my dads table saw yesterday and cut it down the middle .and then put it back in its spot to let it set more .I'm just want to no how Long i need to let it set for be for i start to shape it up .is it batter to let it set and dry completely be for you try and ruff it out or can u shape it while its still a little wet  and then let it set and fin sh drying out , just lookin for the best way to do it I'm tired of  brake in bows Cause i rush throw them and dint let them dry for a Long time .

[RobWiden]

    I would rough it out and floor tiller it just until it starts to bend, then put it away under my bed or, better yet, in a hot box. Be sure to give it plenty of time before you start actually tillering it, wet wood will take set like crazy and you won't be very happy with it.
    While you are waiting, go cut some more staves and get them drying. Once you have lots of staves dried, you just have to keep your stock replenished once in a while, and you won't be waiting any more. I probably have about 100 staves either dried or drying, and I get more whenever I get a chance.  Rob

[DarkSoul]

You should dry wood as long as it takes to reach a proper moisture content.

Not trying to be a smart-a$$ here, just summarizing.
Hundreds of topics on drying wood have been created. Chapter one of the first Traditional Bowyers Bible is an EXCELLENT place to start reading.
Fastest procedure: cut tree. Immediately rough out to almost floor tillered dimensions. Dump in hot box for two weeks. Finish tillering.
Not the best method, but certainly the fastest!

[Eric Garza]

I'd say wait at least a year. Dense white woods like oak and hickory take a long time to dry. They have reputations for taking a lot of set because most people don't let them dry adequately. Just because your moisture meter tells you it's at 10% (for instance) only means the surface wood is at 10%, the inner wood might be much higher.

The tree you cut will make a great bow in 2014, but for now you will need to hunt down a seasoned stave, or a board. Just my 2 cents.

[Slackbunny]

I've got good results by splitting the log green, then waiting a couple months. Then youcan rough it out and get the limbs bending just a little bit. Then wait a couple weeks (or use a hotbox) before you start bending it. This is in fairly dry conditions with whitewoods. If it is humid where you are it could be longer. But the best way to know for sure is to wiegh it regularly and when it stops losing weight it isdry.

[Pat B]

I built a 60" osage static recurve from a stave that was a month off the stump when I got it and 2 month when the bow was done. It turned out very disappointing. The wood felt dry, it worked like dry wood but it took set early on and eventually fretted just below the handle.
 I saved this bow by grinding the belly down flat, added Argentine osage to the belly and retillering it....but this was 3 or so months later and the argentine osage was well seasoned and dry.
  The longer you can let wood "season" the better!

[littlehunters19862011]

thanks every one for posting .i have been looking for a good bored to try and make a bored bow  .but have not had any luck on a good cheap bored yet. ill ruff it out and put it up and let it .

[PeteC]

Little hunter, wood cures at a rate of 1" per year of thickness. If you rough out your white oak stave to 5/8" or so,and have it in a dry place,it should be cured in about 7 months. If you keep it in a WARM AND DRY area,it will take less time to cure. I start most of my whitewood staves green.After giving the log a couple of weeks to stabilize,Split out the staves,rough them out till they will bend a little,spray the back with shellac,then clamp to a 2X6 reflex form for at least a month. Give it a few weeks off the form,then start weighing it. The stave may continue to lose a very small amount of weight for a couple of weeks. When it goes an entire week with no weight change,I begin tiller.If there is any sign of abnormal set,give it 2 more weeks,then resume. I have had good success with this method using whitewoods,and can turn out a good bow with minimal set in less than 4 months.With osage I wait 6 months with a 1/2" stave. Again,understand,these staves are taken down to near final dimensions to be able to cure out the wood this fast. JMHO   God Bless

[Bryce]

I think it was Tim baker, from fresh cut to bow in 6 days.