Quick drying billets

[flyonline]

I've done a quick search but can't find anything so...

....Can I quick dry a pair of billets if they're roughed out to a bit oversize like a full size stave? I'm assuming that I'll have to leave the splice area uncut and oversized also to allow for some wiggle room when aligning tips. Is it worth also covering the ends (splice end in particular) with PVA etc. to limit the change of checks so I don't have to work around them. I've successfully done a full size stave in this wood (local Oz tree) before so it's really only how the splice area holds that concerns met.

Thanks

Steve

[Mad Max]

Not many selfbow guy's over here.
Yes the ends will split  so seal them, And the back will split so seal it too, I would use shellac on the back. I don't know what PVA is ? Wood glue works good and most have some at home.
Seal the ends with wood glue, 2 or 3 coats and reduce the thickness down to about 3/4" for the limb part and 1-1/2" for the handle part.
Years ago I made a hot box with a wire frame, chicken wire, Tomato basket, anything you can think of and wrap it with foil foam foil Insulation and a cheep Thermometer and a light bulb. 100*/38c, I would stay around 100* inside the box, may take a week or so.
weight it in Grams and write it down and keep checking the weight until it quits loosing weight.
What kind of wood?
Air drying is the best way so cut MORE wood and let them dry, after a year you need  to have plenty to work with to keep you going.
 

[Pat B]

It really depends on the wood you are drying out. For white woods like maple or hickory they can be quick dried is only a month or so depending on the heat and humidity. With woods like osage, locust, etc it takes longer but it can be done in 3 to 4 months. Longer for either is much better as far as bow building.
 I think if you reduce each billet to floor tiller stage(limbs 5/8" to 3/4") by first chasing the back ring and sealing the back and ends but keep the handle blocky they will dry quicker. Is the wood freshly cut or has it had time to stabilize some? If freshly cut give it time to stabilize some first before proceeding.
 Mark, PYA is wood glue.

[flyonline]

It's hickory wattle (acacia species), which is only a little less than osage but it doesn't seem as hard to work as osage. I wasn't after a forced dry, just a quicker in roughed out form - it's winter here so it can sit up high on the bookshelf like I did last time which worked really well. At least this time I can hopefully use my gram scales as they were well maxed out on a full stave!

Pat
yes, recently harvested so I'll let it sit a bit before taking to it, though we're so wet here at the moment it will take some time to get down in moisture (hence the quicker drying attempt). When I split it yesterday after sitting around a month or so I was surprised to see the bark and cambium just about pop off by hand - last time it was a really bugger to get it off with a draw-knife so I'm working on using it as is without chasing a ring.

Thanks!

Steve

[Mad Max]

 

[Buggs]

You folks have as many Acacia's as you do Gum trees! Some of that Acacia is very nice looking and dense.

Fly, do you have a moisture meter? Having a baseline chunk of wood to test from the original stave and keeping it at similar dimensions to the bow piece as it's worked, is a good reference.

[Pat B]

If you allow freshly cut wood time to equalize with the local R/H you have a lesser chance of checking when drying time comes.
 You must have been at the end of the growing season when you cut the wood. While the cambium layer is active is when the bark slips. Once the dormant season arrives last growing season's cambium has already started becoming the wood so it holds instead of slipping.

[flyonline]

You folks have as many Acacia's as you do Gum trees! Some of that Acacia is very nice looking and dense.

Fly, do you have a moisture meter? Having a baseline chunk of wood to test from the original stave and keeping it at similar dimensions to the bow piece as it's worked, is a good reference.

Yep, lots wattles here! Some like waddy wood are suuuuuper tough (~2x as osage @ 4,600lb vs 2,600lb) but hard to find. The Hickory wattle gets a nice luminosity similar to polished osage, with a light salmon pink heartwood and white sapwood. Blackwood (another acacia) has been used for high end furniture and floorboards for ages.

No moisture meter, just a set of scales and a pencil 

If you allow freshly cut wood time to equalize with the local R/H you have a lesser chance of checking when drying time comes.
 You must have been at the end of the growing season when you cut the wood. While the cambium layer is active is when the bark slips. Once the dormant season arrives last growing season's cambium has already started becoming the wood so it holds instead of slipping.

First time I've seen that happen with any native wood, have peeled some off immediately when green but this was on good and proper post cutting. I won't get round to it straight away, so should have some time to equalize somewhat

[Mad Max]

No moisture meter, just a set of scales and a pencil 
 
It works really good
 

[Buggs]

Yes the weighing method does work well. Moisture meters don't cost a couple hundred bucks anymore.
You can get a pinless meter thats accurate to a couple % for less than $50. Handy devices for folks who harvest their own wood.

[Mad Max]

Yes the weighing method does work well. Moisture meters don't cost a couple hundred bucks anymore.
You can get a pinless meter thats accurate to a couple % for less than $50. Handy devices for folks who harvest their own wood.

I ordered a moisture meter with pins and one of the pins broke the second time I used it.

Being a tool and die maker I know the pins were to brittle, I finally got a refund after a few months.
The boards were to long to be in my bow shop so that is why I got the meter