Black Locust

[DLH]

I have a piece of black locust that is 1 1/2 in on one end and 2in on the other it is 68in long. I have taken the bark off the belly side and am wondering what to do. Do I need to take all the bark off and chase a ring on the back? The heartwood is a darker color while the sapwood is a bright white correct?

[hova]

is it a stave or sapling?

[DLH]

Sapling I cut it yesterday. Want to make the belly flat and the back crowned with a 4in handle. I need to dry it and am afraid it will check I have the ends glued though I'm worried about the belly. This is what I was thinking take off all the bark,chase a ring on the back and take some of the belly wood off so it would dry quicker. I don't have much of an idea about the width taper maybe 1 1/2 in out to mid limb and taper to 1/2 in? I think I will leave the thickness alone may go to an inch thick though cause I won't be able to tell much about that until its dry and on the stick.

[Pat B]

Get some spray shellac.  Remove the bark and cambium and seal the back with shellac. How much sapwood does it have? You can leave the sapwood of locust as the back and on a sapling bow it is probably necessary to reach weight.
  Get the fresh stave to floor tiller stage(about 4" of tip movement) and clamp it to a form to dry. I'd give it a month and see if it is ready.

[George Tsoukalas]

Just don't be in a hurry with BL, DLH. Leave it a little longer but still seal the ends. In case you get drying cracks on the end trimming the stave will take care of them. Bring it in and leave it alone for up to a month or more.  Then you can remove belly wood with a hatchet. Your stave is too small to split. Remove the bark and floor tiller moving the limbs a few inches. Get the back pristine.Sand it etc. It's always better with BL to have a all heartwood on the back. That's not possible for you then it is better to remove sapwood to get as close as possible to the heartwood.Seal the back with poly after removing nicks and sanding. BL looses moisture really fast. The belly will develop drying cracks if you try to go too fas so keep an eye ion the stave. I always leave all sapling bows an inch or 2 longer than normal to compensate for the crown. Hope this helpls. Jawge

[DLH]

I took a small 1in. strip of bark off the entire sapling then there was a really bright white wood that I took off after that there was a pinkish color wood that wouldn't be the heart wood would it? Does it have to be clamped down because I have limited room in my dorm? Could I possibly just clamp it to a board? I was also thinking about toasting the belly also? Think this could be a shootable bow? Thanks alot yall have been alot of help

[Pat B]

Yes, just clamp(or tie) it to a board(2x4)and slip it under your bed.
  You don't want to attempt to toast the belly until you are sure it is completely dry.

[DLH]

Sorry I forgot this question but what about knots on the belly I know your suppose to leave them on the back but can you cut into them on the belly? Sorry for all the questions guys.

[Pat B]

Generally knots on the belly are no problem if the knot is sound. The knots are under compression on the belly.

[George Tsoukalas]

Seal the back where you took off bark. Jawge