I've been keeping a 'bowyer's diary this year, here's some extracts pertaining to that timber, The short answer is, it went from being a log (about 3 1/2 - 4" dia) on the forrest floor to being a bow in a month!
A Year’s Bowyery
Dec 28th gathered (Silver?) Birch log from same area, split into 2 nice staves.
Ends of all staves painted with PVA. (Hazel really)
16th Jan, working down the smaller, worse half of the Hazel stave (bow#2), the moisture content is staying very high (20%) under the bark, which I’m leaving on and hoping to polish, the back is highly crowned, length about 63” 2 ?” wide.
It will make an ‘interesting’ bow to test the timber before using the good stave, which I have de-barked (using the axe a bit like a draw-knife).
18th #2 Coming on nicely moisture content 15% under bark on handle. Put a long string onto it and pulled it back to 40lb, limbs only come back a couple of inches, but it ‘s beginning to realise it’s a bow not a log!
24th #2 I’ve take a spokeshave to the back as the steep crown wasn’t allowing the draw weight to come down whilst maintaining the desired width. This means I lose the bark, but I can keep it on the handle. Meanwhile the remaining bark is a good guideline as the growth rings are v indistinct on the back.
I’ve got the final string on now and it’s come back to 40lb @ 21”, it’s strung fairly low which I shall retain for max power, It’s looking rather pretty.
26th #2 Virtually finished 40lb@28”.
Shoots 170 yards, it’s had a coat of varnish (B&Q quick drying satin) wiped on with a rag which has been rubbed down and a second coat done.
The tips of the limbs have been lightened and the nocks finished off. I’ve added a Water Buffalo horn arrow plate, I’ll rub it down a bit at the limb tips and give it a final wipe of varnish. I’ve put my monogram and details on it.
I’m pleased with it.
Del
(Did you see the vid of it shooting? (it's in a post near the end of that thread)