osage selfbow question

[TroyH]

The other day I took an osage stave down to the final ring and left it in the garage over night.  The next day I noticed 1 or more linear cracks.  They shouldn't be a problem as they don't run off anywhere.  This stave had dried for a year and felt very dry when working it, so I was surprised.  I've never sealed a back on an osage stave once I started working it into bow form.
My question is, have you had this happen to you, and do you ever seal the back once you begin working the stave?

[George Tsoukalas]

I have sealed the back of osage before I was done. I have a moisture meter and check the readings. If it's > 10% I seal it. Did you seal it yet, Pastor? Jawge

[TroyH]

No, I haven't sealed it as of yet.  I have outline pencil marks down it that I need to remove before sealing it.

[DVSHUNTER]

I have had it happen to me before. I usually do seal the back after the stave dries. In my opinion, the only down side to sealing the back would be having to sand it off before a final sealer.  sandpaper and sealer is cheaper than a new stave, so that is why i do it. Better safe than sorry for me.

[John Scifres]

It doesn't surprise me a whole lot.  It takes osage in stave form a long time to dry.  But generally, once you get the bark and sapwood off, it won't check on you.  About the only time I have had problems after chasing a ring is when I applied dry heat too soon either in a heat box or with a heat gun.  For safety, I usually seal green staves with shellac.

[shamus]

in stave form wood dries at about 1" per year. One year of drying won't dry a stave. Those cracks on the back testify to that.  when i tak a stave to one ring, I urethane the back to prevent drying checks.

  More on drying wood  

hope that helps