Bow or, Blow ?....she made it !!!!

[bcbull]

  guys   if ya go to ur local farm store buy a jug of permycitin cattle  spray ,, rub ,, put it in  ur pump lawns sprayer spray all ur staves when ya cut  em  this problem is gone  iv seen 1 stave that had 2 tiny worm knots in  it after 5 years ,,,,, 16 . bucks for that can of cow spray  is money well spent

[El Destructo]

                                 There Ya go ....another Good Ole Boy ...with yet another simple Solution.....

[Pat B]

Dursban, Malathion and Permycitio are not simple solutions! They are complex compounds that should not be taken lightly. How many actually read the labels and heed their warnings or cautions.  These chemicals are one answer to the problem if the proper precaution are applied but there are other methods that are less detrimental to humans. The best way to eliminate the insect problem is to not take more wood than you can deal properly with in a reasonable time. If you happen to get an abundance of wood then be ready for a long hard working period to get a satisfactory final result.
   The reason I bring this up is because I had a pesticide license for commercial landscape use. I was well trained in their use and made the personal decision not to use them because I wasn't ready for the responsibility that came along with that license and their use. Most mishandling of pesticides is the result of uninformed personal use, not professionals. It is easy to go to the garden store and purchase these products and to do what the advertisers or your bowyer friends tell you to do with it.  The label on the bottle tells you what you must do to protect yourself and our environment. 
   These chemicals will and do work on the stave bore problem so if you must use them do so with caution and above all read and obey the label.      Pat

[mullet]

  You can spray them down with a good concentrated soap and that will keep them off too.

[El Destructo]

but it wont get rid of ehat is already there.....another way is to reduce the Stave down to semi Bow Form....and cover the whole thing in Spar Varnish.....

[Pat B]

...or remove the bark and sap wood and seal the back.You don't have to reduce the stave to almost bow size. Most of these insects are in the egg stage in the bark when we cut the wood. When the tree dies(staves cut) it triggers the hatching of the eggs and the munching begins. You could completely coat the log in wax or other impermiable materials and kill the insects but it would never dry and then fungi would be your problem.
   The main reason I wrote what I did was to inform folks that these pesticides are dangerous chemicals. Most pesticides take 10 years of research and over $10,000,000 before they can earn a label for use in our environment. A pesticide label is the most expensive written document in the USA today and for good reason, public and environmental safety! As I said, if you want to use these products, that is your decision to make...but please read and follow the labels dirrection for use, storage and disposal.     Pat

[El Destructo]

Oh...I am hearing you Pat....I have a Neighbor that Sprayed Yards for Bugs and Weeds....and He never wore a Respirator for any of it...and like you said you have to be licensed and have training to be doing this as a Business....and he knew better....but now He has all kinds of nervous Ticks and respiratory problems associated to the Chemicals that He sprayed....so do be careful....and don't mix more than you can use....I have seen people that just empty their Spray Bottles on the Street in front of their Homes...or in a City Sewer Drain....thats a No No....and it kills Dana's Bugs at His Sewerage Plant too!!

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

Pat, you're right, I just went for my first wood harvest this week, and I'm making sure I get all the staves debarked and prepped, and I'll always do that from now on, it's not fun losing wood to bugs

[Pat B]

Manny, The bow I am completing now is the straighter of the 2 I got from you. It had some small powder tunnels in it but they were worked out as I built the bow. I never even saw an entrance hole.
   The snaky one, similar to the one you have here, had small holes in it that I filled with super glue and saw dust but I've done no more with it. I will check it out and see whats up with it.
   There is a lot more to wood bow building than just making shavings.         Pat

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

can't wait to see it, ....yeas a lot more

[Hillbilly]

I'm with Pat-I never thought much about that stuff until I was going through the process of getting a pesticide license and starting learning about what's actually in that stuff and what it'll do to you. I've held a pesticide license for nearly fifteen years, and hardly ever use the stuff. I've never had a problem with bugs in staves that I debarked, but I had a bunch ruined last year that I stored with the bark still on them.

[Pappy]

Beautiful piece of wood.I, like most of the rest would for sure back it,I would also fill the worm holes with super glue and sawdust,pack them full,that has worked for us on some Osage we had the same
problem with.Good luck on that one,and I bet you can get a pretty cool bow out of it.
    Pappy

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

...Well I piked the bow to make it a 60" ntn, made it assymetrical to, so i could take of more from the mainly damaged bottom limb.

Worked on it a bit the last couple of days in between projects, the more wood i took of, the more tunnels appeared, than today a rasped a worm still alive and working, i was just about to toss it in the firewood pile with the 4 I had to put there this week (this makes about 2 dozen staves ruined by bugs)...when it hit me, .."LETS COOK THE BUGGERS"

I just finished thempering the all bow , handle and all, any bug that was still doing damage should be by now well baked

there;s no telling the damage in those limbs, can't tell how much good wood is left,...there a good chance this bow won't make it,...but I'm surely giving it my best effort ...this peace of wood is to beautyful not to.

[Rich Saffold]

I feel your pain Manny, I had the finest looking plum stave turn out to be full of grubs which grew up inside the wood. I tried until it blew..

The good thing is by the time you read this, your beast of a blank will be on the boat heading your way..I guarantee there are  no worms holes in it!

Rich

[GregB]

Manny, I had a large worm hole through the top limb of the black snake bow I just posted. Filled with tbIII and dust, plus deer rawhide backed it. No problems...

Your's looks to be much more severe then my bow.

Greg