Staves from oak logs

[Ron Pierce]

I acquired 3 oak logs and plan to, with children, make our first bows from them.

99" long, 12" diameter - Red oak
84" long, 12" diameter - White oak
79" long, 10" diameter - White oak

Do oak bow staves need to be from the outer rings of the log?  With such large logs, I'm wondering if I can take several staves from each log.  (More than the 2 to 4 I might be able to get from just the outer ring of the wood.)

Your thoughts/suggestions?

 
 
 

Note:  I did go to the "Oversized Pictures Post", but it was no longer there.

[Pat B]

How long have they been cut. Looks like fungi has already gotten in to them from the discoloration. If that is the case I would not use them for bows.

[Ron Pierce]

I was told they were cut around a month ago.  They were outside in a pile of logs awaiting conversion to firewood for the last month or so.

[George Tsoukalas]

No necessarily but the best plan is to remove the bark and make a  bow. The rings are tiny so chasing a ring is hard.

When removing bark get close with a draw knife and then switch to a scraper.

Jawge

[Ron Pierce]

I got my chain saw running and took a couple inches off the end of those suspect logs.  The underlying wood is clean.  I don't see evidence of fungi growing.

The day I picked up the logs it was raining, and we loaded them into the truck by standing them on end and tipping them in.  Those were the ends which hit the ground.

Feeling good about my prospects once again.    

[Pat B]

Split them at least in half to let them start drying.