So I cut a young shagbark hickory tree yesterday, glued the ends and split into 4 staves today. I've started debarking the staves and To be quite honest I don't know if I'm removing too much or not enough wood as I'm debarking it. I've been peeling all the rough outer layer off and then using a sharp knife at a 90 degree angle to remove the brown layer exposing white wood. Does this look about right??

Yes.

That's exactly right. You can leave little bits of the brown cambium for looks if you like. It can be tough to get all of it without violating your back ring, but it's hard to damage a hickory back enough to cause a problem. You're doing well!

Look real good! Are you going to de-crown your staves?

The cambium spits actually look really cool after you put finish on the back in my opinion. Gives it a "mottled" look.

Thanks guys! Just wanted to make sure I was doing it right! What is decrowning?

Making the back flat, following parallel growth rings.

Decrowning, done right, is not easy. Just leave it a few inches longer and you won't have to decrown.

What is your draw length?

There are buildalongs on my site.

http://traditionalarchery101.com

Jawge

my draw length is 27"

You don't need to decrown that stave at all. Just start working the belly and make a bow.

I should have asked what style of Bow you are planning to make? If you are making a ELB, you certainly would not need to de-crown. On the other hand if you are making a wide limbed Flat Bow, it looks like that stave has enough convexity on the back, you might end up with a percentage of that heavy Hickory that won't be doing much beyond taking a set. Not trying to cause trouble for you, just more work!

Leave it 68" and the heavy crown will off set, at least that is what I do. Jawge

I appreciate all the good advice gentlemen, if this bow blows up it won't be for lack of good mentors! Lol

Tye, Hickory is one of the most forgiving, mistake covering woods you could have chosen. And makes a dang fine bow as well.

I'm glad to hear hickory is forgiving! Lol so after so blood sweat and tears I got a 70" stave completely debarked, cut to length and reglued the ends. The stave is pretty darn straight with a decent amount of natural backset. Whadda you guys think?

That's fine. Make a bow.

That is one CLEAN piece of hickory. Good one to learn on. Were you gonna force dry it, or let it season naturally?

I was gonna rough the bow out in the next 2-3 days and then let it sit for a month or so. Any recommendations on force drying vs season naturally? How would one go about force drying it?

Yep I would work it down and heat treat it as you put some reflex into it and maybe even flip the tips a bit. I like harvesting my wood in the early spring when the bark just pops off .

Tim Baker has written extensively on quick drying. He gets into extreme detail regarding controlling near exact relative humidity and such. I have found that a simple warming box heated with light bulbs to around 90-100 degrees with a small fan inside is simple but effective. Be sure to lash or clamp your reduced blank so that it doesn't warp. Even when reduced, the thicker handle section can check if done too fast. You may need to drop temp slightly. Box should have vents that can be opened or closed. Open vents while wood is still very wet and close after it dries a bit, otherwise relative humidity will rise very high in the box. Typically most white woods can be dried in this manner in as short as 5 days, however, 10-15 is much more reasonable and safe. Do an internet search for "Tim Baker rapid drying". Keep us posted!

You need to seal the back of your stave, just in case, especially if you are going to force dry it.

Here is a little update!

Good luck on that one TYE.

Is it a "good luck, cause you're gonna need it" kind of stave? lol

Lookin good. Did you force dry it, or is it still pretty wet? What dimensions are you working with?

66 inches long, 2 inch wide limbs for 2/3rds the length of the limb and then tapering to 1/2" at the tips. The limps are still currently about 1" thick right now and I have not force dried it. Just letting it dry naturally at this point, but thinking about thinning the limbs out some more as it dries.

66 inches long, 2 inch wide limbs for 2/3rds the length of the limb and then tapering to 1/2" at the tips. The limps are still currently about 1" thick right now and I have not force dried it. Just letting it dry naturally at this point, but thinking about thinning the limbs out some more as it dries.

Good design. I like your plan. Get it to where it just starts to bend, then dry it. Won't take more than a couple days at that thickness. You can simply hang it in a stovepipe or similar with a light bulb underneath. Flip the bow once halfway through. Or do the beatbox thing.

Good design. I like your plan. Get it to where it just starts to bend, then dry it. Won't take more than a couple days at that thickness. You can simply hang it in a stovepipe or similar with a light bulb underneath. Flip the bow once halfway through. Or do the beatbox thing.

Trimmed it down a bit more today

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