I never quit learning

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I chased a ring on a 45 year old osage stave a week ago. I got busy with other stuff and set it off to the side, never thought in a million years it would check on the back.

 a few days ago I layed it out and knocked a bunch of meat of it and sat it back in the corner. I picked it up tonight and was gonna get it floor tillered and it was checked to beat all for two or three rings deep.

 I was wondering if keeping it in a hot box had anything to do with it. My hot box stays about 85 and about 15 to 20% humidity. these staves had been stored in a barn.

[fujimo]

hey stiks, i split a premium yew log the other day, and got 4 nice staves out of it, the log had been stored outside for at least 2 years, no checking etc, and the bark was starting to peel off, so i brought them into my nicely heated indoor shop, let them dry off for a day or two, as they were wet from the snow and rain, and when i went to scrape off the bark, and start making this yew bow i had been fantasizing about- they were all so badly checked on their backs, through the sapwood, deep into the heart wood, about 1/4" wide. i was devastated!!the mc had read 16% when i brought them into the shop.

i was so nervous with the next stave, that i left my shop unheated, until i had the bark off and the back sealed with 2 coats of verathane.
its seem to be holding up quite well.- started marking out the bow tonight for my trade bow!!

[Osagetree]

I think that anything with a moisture level of over 8% can check if it looses moisture quickly. A cabinet makers rule of thumb!

[PEARL DRUMS]

No matter the reason Kris, it stinks! Can you get below the checks?

[Eric Krewson]

Your wood had settled into the ambient MC of your barn. When you put it in the hot box at a lower MC it was a shock to the wood, it tried to reach the lower MC quickly and checked.

I never put seasoned osage in a hot box having seen some of what you experienced in my early years as a bow maker.

[Pat B]

No matter how old or new a stave is, when I chase a back ring or remove bark I always spray shellac on the back and ends. I also have had well seasoned osage(especially) check when an inner ring was exposed. All of my wood seasons in my workshop so the there is no change in the ambient temp or moisture.
 I keep a can of spray shellac on my work bench all the time just for this reason. Buying shellac by the spray can is relatively expensive but quite cheap when it comes to saving staves.

[Art B]

I've read where wood only shrinks down to something like 75% shrinkage at 8% MC. Not even close to that stored in a barn. So even being that old it still had a lot of shrinking yet to do. I've come to the conclusion that it's best to treat all Osage like it was still green. Small steps in drying next time.........Art

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I hear ya guys. Live and learn LOL