What to seal my stave???

[northland archer]

I have a stave i have been working on and need to take a break to work on a bbo longbow.  Do i need to seal the areas that have been scraped and shaped and if so what should i use?  The bow is shaped and to the point of floor tiller.  The air is pretty dry here in the winter so it should not take on much moisture.  Here is where i am thus far.  I am taking photos as i go to post but can't work on two bows at once, as these are my first self bows.  Thanks for the help.
Treavor
 
 

[Shaun]

If your wood is dry you should not have to seal it. You can use shellac on the ends, fades/handle area and back if you are worried, but I would not bother.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Shaun hit it right on the money, if it is already dry then let it go. If it still a green stave then the back and ends need shellac.

[Chisler]

I think it's a good habit to keep your unfinished bow in the drying box (if you have one) when you aren't working on it.

[Eric Krewson]

You have to have a way to check the moisture content of your wood before placing it in a drying box.

It has been my experience that wood over 16% MC may check if put directly in a drying box. I have had this problem several times in the past am very cautious about what goes in my drying box now.

[Roy Steele]

If your bows seasoned no you don't have to.You can keep it in a hot box but keep the lid cracked open.Or just bring it inside the house.
  But if you feel you must seal it with something do it.

[northland archer]

Thanks for the input.  I am going to try to get to my osage bow sooner than planned.  

I do have another question, i have a bit of a twist in one of the limbs, do i attempt to straighten it out before or after i tiller?  

Once i get started on this one, i will post pics of the progress and hopefully a solid bow.

Thanks Much
Treavor

[Roy from Pa]

Put it in your house where it's warm, like 70 degrees. Or in a drying box with a 25 watt bulb. The bulb will not get very hot, but will keep moisture away.

[Pat B]

If it has only a little twist you can either not worry about it, tiller the twist out or clamp it to a form and use wood wedges and a heat gun to remove the twists.  If not bad, nothing is the easiest and is acceptable with a wood bow. Will you post pics of the stave showing the twist?