Drying a stave?

[huntnut]

Is there a fast way to dry a stave? Can a make a dry box with light bulbs to dry it or is that going to dry it to fast? I know some guys say put them in a car that is sitting in the sun or in the atic. I have a couple Black Locas and osage staves I wanted to start working on. They are both freshly split. The osage has been down since last fall, the locas has just been taken down.

[NorthShoreLB]

Well, start working them down to bow size without bending them, that will cut the drying time a lot.

[Art B]

Those are two woods that you don't want to hurry along IMO. Reduce to bow dimension as Manny suggusted but be sure to coat them good with varnish or shellac. Less wood less drying time.-ART B

[John Scifres]

I'd get them down to near bow dimensions but leave the tips and handle full width in case they moveon you when drying.  Make them no more than 5/8" thick across the width of the stave.  Coat with shellac.  Let sit in cool area for one month.  Then you can start force drying them with a heat box or in the warmest part of your house. Do that for a month and then floor tiller.  If they don't snap right back to their pre-bent condition, let them dry some more.  I'd highly recommend Dean Torges' book "Hunting the Osage Bow" - het it at  www.bowyersedge.com.   It has a great method for taking a tree to a bow safely and as quickly as possible.

[Pat B]

When they say to coat them with shellac or varnish that means the ends and the back. Leave the belly unsealed except for an inch or so at the tips.     Pat

[brettlandon]

Here's some pictures of my bow dryer.  It is made from six inch ducting and two 200 watt heat lamps.  I have used this several times an have had excellent results.  The first picture is with the lights off and the second one has them on.
 

 

Make sure you leave openings below the lights to facilitate the "draw."  This achieves about 120 degrees and constant moving air.  PM me if you want all the specs.

-Brett