Checking!

[mwosborn]

I am new to this game and have only worked a few bows - white woods of ash and hickory.  Wanted to try some mulberry as it is plentiful around here and i have been told makes a good bow.  Cut one the on 7/11 (about 8 inch dia)in the evening.  Split into quarters, removed bark, and painted the next day.  This is what it looks like today.    :eek:  

 

Since I usually learn best from the things that don't go as planned....

would cutting in the fall/winter be better and not cut this time of year?

for this type of wood would it be best to leave the bark on - or use something besides paint?

since it looks like the checks are only in the sap wood I am going to let this dry out and see what the heart wood looks like after it is dry - bad idea?

Thanks for the help!

Mitch

[Bow-n-Head]

MW, You have PM.

[Pat B]

Paint isn't necessarily the best sealer for wet wood, especially water based paint. Shellac or wood glue is a better option for sealing the wood. Also, on woods like mulberry, locust and osage if you remove the bark you have to remove the sapwood also because the sapwood dried faster than the heartwood and that is what causes the checking.
  When you cut wood really doesn't matter. How you treat that wood will depend on the time of year it is cut. The moisture content of a tree is higher during the growing season because the juices are flowing but even winter cut wood will check if it isn't treated properly after cutting.
  Any time I cut wood I split the log in half within a few days. After a month I split it down to staves. This allows it to start drying out slowly. I prefer to leave the bark and sapwood on until the wood is somewhat dry. When I do get around to reducing the wood to  stave form with the bark and sapwood removed I seal the back with shellac(my preference) even if that stave has dried for 10 years. There is still moisture in that wood from the atmosphere that will try to get out the back and I have had well seasoned wood check if the back was left unsealed.
  Just the amount of checking on the back of that stave lets me know that the wood was still pretty wet and the paint you used to seal it didn't in fact seal it thoroughly.
  Remove the checked wood and the rest of the sapwood and reseal the back with something that is less apt to breath.

[frank bullitt]

Mitch, I would remove the sapwood, and coat the back with either wood glue, or any exterior wood finish!

I removed sapwood from a mulberry stave once, that had dried, toughest thing ever, I took a drawknife too!

[mwosborn]

Thanks a bunch guys - I am in the process of removing the sapwood and will reseal the backs and ends.  Appreciate your help!

Mitch