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Fresh Osage Staves

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welch2:
That's why I let my logs dry for awhile before I split them out ,to stop them from twisting ,unfortunatly it also stops them from gaining reflex while drying.  You could try clamping the twisting staves to something while they dry.

Ralph

Pat B:
I believe that with fresh cut osage, especially during the growing season when moisture content is high, you should split the log in half and seal the ends. After a month or so you could split out staves. If you remove the bark, or the bark slips while you're splitting the log, I would at least seal the sapwood well and the ends. The ones that you have split and are twisting should be reduced to almost bow size, clamped to a form and allowed to dry. You should be able to remove the twists later but it won't be as easy.    Pat

GregB:

I agree with Pat, we always leave the bark on osage and seal the ends. Depending on the diameter of the tree, I would cut in half or possibly quartered if a really large tree. Reducing to narrow stave size early is where the propellar shows up during drying. Leaving more mass/bulk reduces the twists during drying. We split to stave size after the wood is fully seasoned. We reflex the rough bow using forms when thinned enough to get some bending at floor tillering.  ;)

tarsus:
Guess I should have questioned you guys BEFORE I started hacking :-[  Live and Learn ;)  David

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