first self bow - white oak

[Citycop]

I split a white oak log today and got four staves from it each one is about 3" wide maybe 4". The log has been drying in my building for about a month with the ends sealed with oil paint. One of the staves I striped the bark off the back and sealed it with a thick layer of oil paint. Then I read that for white wood you didn't have to seal the back after peeling bark????

Also how important is it to follow the grain on the back?

My plan is to rough out the shape of the bow and then bring it in the house for a few months.

All advice is welcome.

[mwosborn]

I would suggest sealing even on the white woods.  I have never used white oak - but on the stuff I have used I sealed the back - ash, hackberry. elm.

Sound like a good plan to rough one out and then let it dry some more in the house.  You can weigh it periodically if you have a small scale to tell when it quits losing moisture.

I would also follow the grain.

Good luck!

[beetlebailey1977]

I am working on my first white oak stave also......but mine has been cut for well over a year.  I just took the bark off with a drawknife no I need to remove all the cambium under the bark.  I have trimmed it done some.  Once I get the back finished I will lay out the bow and rough it in.

[Steve B.]

My TBB's say that the whitewoods can go from tree to bow in 20-60 days.  The one oak stave bow I did checked badly after I roughed it out.  It was from a stave that was supposedly ready so it obviously had dried for some time.  
So in the future I'll be more careful.

[Citycop]

I didn't look at the back of mine very well but can you see the grain well enough to follow it with the cambium layer still on?

[Living_waters]

If it is green cut back needs sealed, if it is been drying a couple of months then it probably wont need sealed.

White oak will make a bow in about 60 days if everything is done right but it will take a lot of set usually. There is a difference between dry and seasoned.

White oak can take some grain run out, but you can not just ignore the grain.

Rough out your bow, leave limbs 3/4+ thick or more. Too thin and they will twist. You can lash it to a straight 2x4 that will help it keep from twisting.

White oak is wonderful and a very overlooked bow wood.

[George Tsoukalas]

Take off the bark and make a bow. No need to chase a ring. I don't seal the backs on whitewoods. Just the ends.  Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

Leave the staves  in a cool place for a few weeks. Jawge