Author Topic: Chaste tree?  (Read 2194 times)

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Offline sapling bowyer

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Chaste tree?
« on: February 14, 2016, 11:09:29 am »
We have some chase shrubs growing strait and tall and I have made several arrows from this shrub. Is this bow wood? It checks like crazy when drying and its very hard once it dries. Has anyone had experience with this type of wood for bow making? It is also localy used to weave baskets.
Time is short

Offline Pat B

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Re: Chaste tree?
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2016, 11:55:45 am »
I've never seen a bow made from Vitex(chasedtree) but you wont know til you try.
 Cut an appropriate(long enough, clean enough)stave and immediately reduce it to floor tiller stage, seal the back and ends well and Strap it to a form to prevent warping and/or twisting and give it time to dry.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Springbuck

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Re: Chaste tree?
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2016, 10:25:25 am »
Yeah, sounds like something worth trying.  When wood likes to check, If I CAN, I cut it and take it down to rough shape, bark on the back, and evna maybe to floor tiller at just a few inches of tip movement.  Then seal it all over any exposed wood really good and thick with something like brush on poly from a can, strap it or clamp it down and dry it slowly:  no sun, no heat, no wind, no AC, cool and damp or cool and mostly dry place.  And be patient with it. Give it a good long time, then move it to somewhere warm and dry, or whatever.   You know the rules.  Many staves like this I have taken off the caul were dry enough not to check when worked, but were still wet enough to warp while drying further.