Author Topic: Question about Osage  (Read 2922 times)

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Offline carpholeo

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Question about Osage
« on: March 14, 2015, 12:29:02 am »
So i cut this really nice straight  unknoted osage log which was growing almost horizontal, my question is where would you take your stave out of this piece, the area i circled ?  or  from another part of the log.


Offline Sidewinder

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Re: Question about Osage
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2015, 02:09:44 am »
Whats the diameter? If its 4" or better you can get 3 easymaybe 4. I would take mine first good ring past the sap wood but then you'll probabley have Sleek jump in there and say " use the sapwood"  :)and thats fine if'n your looking to make it look like yew with the sapwood/heartwood thing going on but I like heartwood on osage because its just flat out prettier and I think stronger than the sapwood.

Might wanna seal those ends with something I think I see a check starting to develop.
"You know a tree by the fruit it bears"   God

Offline Chief RID

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Re: Question about Osage
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2015, 06:58:05 am »
I want to watch this thread.

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Question about Osage
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2015, 08:35:10 am »
Green are split lines and red is the bows back.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Question about Osage
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2015, 09:24:53 am »
If it is 2" to 3" I'd split(or saw) it in half. The way I've done osage poles is to saw it in half(if not twisted) and bind it back together with air spacers between and let it dry.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Dances with squirrels

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Re: Question about Osage
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2015, 09:29:45 am »
I would take one right where the red circle is. That would be my #1 choice. That's the tension side and if you remove the bark and sawood, and the bulk of the excess while it's green, the stave can pull itself into considerable reflex as it dries. If you dead-center that stave on the tension side, the reflex will pull straight. The transition wood on the sides? Not so much.
Straight wood may make a better bow, but crooked wood makes a better bowyer

Offline crooketarrow

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Re: Question about Osage
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2015, 10:28:22 am »
 I cut all my osage staves 2 1/2, 3 inchs. So I'd  SPLIT as many out of the log as I can. Osage when seasoned can lose 1/4,3/8'' in 10 to 20 years. Even if you seel the whole bow.
DEAD IS DEAD NO MATTER HOW FAST YOUR ARROW GETS THERE
20 YEARS OF DOING 20 YEARS OF LEARNING 20 YEARS OF TEACHING

Offline carpholeo

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Re: Question about Osage
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2015, 03:47:55 pm »
This log is 4" on one end and 3" on the other and 7' long , I just want to make sure i get the best stave possible from this piece of wood.

Offline dbb

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Re: Question about Osage
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2015, 06:00:25 pm »
Ii looks like the log have a start to split it at 7 o clock unless that is a sawmark....
It's better to ask and look like a fool than not to ask and remain one...

Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: Question about Osage
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2015, 06:51:10 pm »
i would like to know the diameter and see a pic of the whole log before I make a suggestion on how to split :)