I just cut one from the side yard and would like to make a sapling bow, not sure how to proceed with the split and dry.
I am thinking to split it, ruff shape it and tie it to a caul for a few months.
What say ye sapling pros? :)
I have made a few with elm saplings. I shaped them right away and even floor tillered a bit. Leave the tips and handle wide but get them about 1/2" thick on the sides. Try and use a back with the least crown to it. Make the belly as flat as you can. I like about 2" wide and 68" NTN for a 50# at 28" draw selfbow. The stave will dry in a couple weeks in moderate humidity and you can have it shooting in a month. I once made an elm sapling bow in 13 days using a hatchet and sunshine :)
Thanks John, That's what I figured. Did ya leave the bark on and fix it to a caul?
I plan to try for LONG and 30" of draw.
No bark, no caul. Once you get them thin, they don't warp much while drying. If you want to induce reflex, you can. I've done that with hackberry a few times. Just cut a radius in a 2x6 and use clamps and then packing tape so you can have your clamps back.
Another option is to saw the pole in half lengthwise and bind the 2 haves back together with spacers between to aid air circulation. This is how I season osage poles for bows.
Aye, I remember that from a previous post Pat. that maybe the way I go. easier to set aside to dry. Thanks for posting.
I will scrape the bark as well John. I have seen some with bark and thought it was cool looking. Can't remember what wood was used though.
Made a bark-on hickory from sapling, dried as a stick for a year and roughed out then dried another year. Bark stays on and looks great. No experience with elm, but plan to try one soon. Good luck with your stave Chuck.
Thanks Shaun,