How long to dry osage????

[Bowjo]

I cut,split and debarked 7 or 8 osage staves 2 months ago.They have been stored in the rafters of my garage.How long until I can use them.How can I tell when they are ready.Please help I am bowless.......Joe

[Bert Frelink]

You could start roughing one or two out anytime now just go slow and remember you are just roughing out not quite stringing them up!!
Regards, Bert.

[ozarkcherrybow1]

You have some work ahead of you. If you debarked all staves, you must get all the sapwood off also..NOW. As you take off the sapwood, you must coat it with something like shellac to seal it.(both end and the entire back) If you don't do this, you may end up with a bunch of scrap osage from all the checking that will occur.
The sapwood will let out moisture faster than the heartwood which will make the sapwood start to check. When the sapwood starts to check it will transfer into the heartwood and may turn your nice long stave into a short one before you know it.
You can rough in a bow at just about any time after sapwood is removed and you chase down the rings to about the ring you want for your back, but I would definitely give a green stave a good coating of some kind of sealant to keep it from drying too quickly. IMO
Some of the pro's will chime in here soon and give more input, I am sure. Good luck on your adventure.....Terry

[Osagetree]

Joe,,, if you don't have the time to remove the sap wood and then coat them, get them logs down and coat them with something anyway. It may be to late if they are checking already. I wasted some good wood doing what you've describe.

[Tom Leemans]

Weigh them every so often, then when they quit losing weight... Of course, the humidity/moisture content is better controlled if they sit in a temp controlled hotbox (box with lightbulb(s) inside). I have a chart on mine that shows moisture content at a given humidity (hygrometer inside box). I bet someone here has that chart saved.

[mmgrode]

Get a moisture meter!!!!! If you plan on making enough of them it is definitely a worthwhile(and practically necessary) investment.  This way you can be sure of the mc and build faster bows with less set.  Cheers, Matt

[the Ferret]

My dad always said 2 to 7 years but he was old school (wonder if my son Brian is going to say that about me    :confused:   )

Matt I disagree on the moisture meter. I bought one when I first got into making bows but sold it shortly thereafter. Most expereinced bowyers forego the moisture meter, and let the wood tell you what the MC is. If it loads up your rasp it's still too wet. If it doesn't spring back when flexing it, it's still too wet. If the shavings sound like popcorn when you step on them it's too dry.

also most bowyers I know are almost a year ahead of their wood. Cut it this winter, work it next winter, with pieces worked down to various stages in between. The quicker you get it to near bow dimensions the quicker it will acclimate to it's surroundings. Keeping the back shellaced or glued until you are ready to finish the bow is always a good idea..

[Bowjo]

Thanks guys.I will get those staves down and look at them.I sealed the ends,but not the sap wood.