Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: TSHOOTER on December 07, 2011, 10:33:00 PM
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Out of the blue my 13 yr old asked if we could build a selfbow. Not having any bow wood we cut a small hackberry and got 2 useable splits. I've debarked one and layed it out as follows...69" NTN 4 inch handle, 1 7/8 at fades for 8 inches then tapered to 1/2 tips. We worked it down to the lines and thined the belly some. My question is how thin to make it? I only want about 40-45 lbs @ 28. I also want to dry it as quickly as possible. I sealed the back and ends with Elmer's wood glue when we finished. I've made a couple of board bows but this is my first attempt at a selfbow so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
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If you just recently cut the wood let the staves acclimatize in your garage for a week or so then bring them in the house. Most houses are pretty dry during the winter months. You might even want to bind them together, back to back, to help prevent warping and twisting as they dry. You should give them at least a few months to dry and more would be better.
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The second chapter of the Traditional Bowyer's Bible IV has good information for quick drying a stave.
Guy
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You can take hickory from the stump to shooting bow in a month. But you need to deduce your stave as much as possible for quicker drying. Like Pat said, wait a week and let some initial mositure bleed off first. Then rough out to close to bow dimensions/floor tillered stage and store at 35-45% R/H between 70-80 degrees.
You can get the bow's MC down low enough in that time to heat temper the limbs to prevent additional set and reduce the chance of fretting from fresh wood. Good luck......Art
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Ok, I think I'll lay the other one out today and rough it out too then leave in garage as you suggest. I may then try to take to floor tiller in a week or two and bring in the house a while and then force dry in a month or so.
Thanks
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Hackberry dries super fast. Pearl Drums has some one here he did from hackberry in about the time that you're talking about.
Good luck and be sure and post:)
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I may be wrong, but I don't think you want to start any tillering/bending before they are dry. Reducing, like you have done is best way to quickly get them dry, now leave alone until they are dry. Bending them too early will bring on a world of set. jmho