Worth Salvaging?

[Bill Skinner]

I was at the river today looking in the drift wood piles for some cypress for net floats when I found an osage tree.  Apparently, it had been underwater for a long time, it had no bark and no sapwood.  It also didn't have any holes from borer wasps either.  It is two trees joined at the root ball, one is partially buried and one is completly above ground, it looks like a "V" lying on its' side.  This spring, the area where it is was under water 5 times, the last time the area was flooded was 8 years ago, so I have no idea how long it has been there.  It is a LOOONNNNG walk from the truck, I was going to carry a hand saw, a small sledge and three wedges and split it on site.  It is really straight for about 7+ feet with only one limb, I figure on three large staves.  My question, is the wood still good after being submerged for possibly a few years?  If it were above ground, it would be good, I don't know about after being under water.  If it were closer, I would answer my own question.  I didn't see any checks or splits, some of the limbs are broken due to being slammed into things or I would cut one of them and see.  If I can get help, I figure it will be an all day job, by myself, maybe two or possibly three days.  Bill

[woodstick]

i have heard the best way to cure osage is to soak it in a pond. never done it myself you might ask around like pappy or pat b they will know.

[mullet]

 Bill, I'd go for it.The best cypress down here is the stuff that hs been buried in the mud for a long time. I think the biggest problem will be it checking once you start reducing it down.

[HoBow]

I've heard about curing osage under water too. Ill be down that way in December if you can wait

[JW_Halverson]

Wasn't there a post on soaking it in buffalo whiz???

Seriously, I am really curious to see what you can turn out with that salvage tree.  I'd say take a stave down to rough dimensions of the bow you want, let it cure from there and see what comes of it!

[Pat B]

I'd say to go for it too. I think your only problem is getting it to dry out without it checklng. Being under water is probably the best possible situation. The bugs and fungi that eat osage(and there ain't many) can't live under water. You will have to split it to haul it out so seal the back and ends with carpenters glue and you should be OK. The stuff under water and buried in the ground. Osage fence corner post stay in the ground 100 years  and I've heard they make excellent bows.

[gstoneberg]

I'd say go for it as well.  I'm heading out this morning to gather some old osage fence posts for billets.  They work great.   If the wood has been underwater it is going to be HEAVY.  I'd take some  sealer with you and seal what will be the bow back with it as soon as the wood gets dry on the outside.  Also seal the cut ends.  It can begin checking in less time than it will take you to get it out.  I've been experimenting with a spray can called "clear glaze" for sealer and so far I like it.  It dries quick and is so shiny you can easily see where you've sprayed.  Not sure if it could be sanded off if sprayed on the actual bow back though.

Good luck,
George

[Bullitt]

Yes, go for it Bill! If you read any of Pope's writings on building and testing bows and woods, he tested curing staves thrown into a pond.

The lack of oxygen in the water, helps slow the decay process, and helps to preserve the wood as just "fresh cut". This is why logs from the Great Lakes and other logging eras of the past, that broke away, have survived!

I also have a piece of hedge about 52" long and about 6" in dia, I found in the creek behind my house. The bark is all gone, has some latteral cracks but noithing unusual for logs that have been sitiing on the ground. It's been about a year since I drug it out. Look foward to splittin it open! Good luck with your treasure!

[George Tsoukalas]

Sure. Go for it. Jawge

[Lombard]

Bill, why the heck not? Go for it!

[Steve Milbocker]

Definitely go for it. I have been in the bridge business for over 35 years. I have dug many wood piling from under piers in rivers that were over 100 years old and they look like the day they were driven. Also here in Michigan and I'm sure many other states, lots of timber has been salvaged from the river and lake bottoms that has lain there since the late 1800s.

[Bill Skinner]

I am going to go get it, probably sometime next week.  I was worried that the soft rings would start to rot and it would delaminate as I started working it down.  When I cut it and split it, just treat it like a fresh cut tree as far as sealing the wood.  I don't have any way to check the moisture content, should I put it in the shed and let it dry for another couple or six months?

Hi Jeff, thanks for the offer, but Lord willing and the river doesn't rise, I should have it out before you get down here.  If it looks OK, would you be interested in a stave?  Bill

[Gordon]

There's a business here in the NW that salvages old growth logs from the bottom of the Columbia River.  Some of them have been there over close to 100 years and they still make some of the nicest timber you will ever see. I think it is worth a try.

[HoBow]

Sure- that be cool to work on a piece like that!  Good luck with it.

[Bill Skinner]

It's in the barn right now.  I quartered the log so I could get it out. I sawed the log at a little over 8 feet, I might have been able to get a little longer, I started running into lengthwise cracks so I cut it.  Two staves will make one bow apiece, one stave looks like you might be able to get two and one looks like you might be able to get one really strong bow or three normal ones.  This is provided they split the way I want them to split.

I dug out the bottom log while I was resting from splitting, it is slightly smaller than my thigh, I plan to go back and get that at a later date, I think I might be able to get two staves out of it, it is beat up from the river.  Bill