Primitive Archer
Information and Resources => Trading Post => Topic started by: dco1958 on April 02, 2012, 04:33:15 pm
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I recently downed a osage tree and managed to get a straight, knotless log 8 feet 5 inches long. The log is 10 inches in diameter. I plan on using a draw knife to strip the sapwood, seal the ends, and allow the log to season naturally. Anyone interested? I can use some advice...
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You not going to split it first? If you leave it whole, it will take several years to season to usable moister content (I would think so anyway).
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Yeah, split it now. It will season just as natural as all get-out in stave form.
At least if you split it now you can control WHERE it splits. If you leave that tree "in the round" so to speak, every single check...and it will check....will be right down the middle of every piece you wanted to take a bow from.
Good luck with this log, sounds like there is some good bow-working material for you for some time to come!
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I normally split this type of wood by hand just for firewood. However, I figured this log would be of some interest to bow makers. I'll go ahead and strip the sapwood off and split the log into staves before storing it. Thanks for the quick replies and advice. I'll post pictures once I have the staves....
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Split it at least in half for now and seal the ends. If you remove the bark and sapwood seal the back too.
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Thank you...
So I should LEAVE the bark/sapwood, split the staves, and seal the ends? Anything else I need to do to create quality material for a bowyer?
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No sir take off the bark and sap wood and seal the back and ends. Thanks Ron
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At least quarter it.
I'm interested in a stave when they are ready.
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If you leave the bark on, be sure to spray it down real good with bug killer. Then again in a few weeks. Easier in the long run to split & strip it.
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Awesome advice. Thanks to all who've replied. Next question...what kind of sealer? Any particular product?
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Wood glue, shellac, polyurethane
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The list includes, but is not limited to:
1) cheap wood glue
2) cheap paint
3) shellac
4) polyurathane
5) wax
6) stuff like Thompson's water sealer
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Great...I have a bunch of leftover polyurethane from renovating the floors of my home. I will post pictures of the staves when I finish.
d
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D, if you are going to have this log sawn into boards you will need to do that before it dries and not splitb it in half. It cuts a lot easier when green. In this case you can leave the bark and sapwood on unto you get it sawn and even then you can leavre it on but treat it for bugs.
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i would defiantly be interested in a stave from this, what type of things would you look for?
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If you seal the ends, split it into staves, and leave the bark and sapwood intact I would be interested as soon as you can get some pics up. I'd prefer to remove the bark, sapwood and season the stave myself. I'd be interested in trading for 1 just for your effort.
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I just hand split the log into quarters. I'll have to get a better look when the sun comes up and I'll get some good pictures. It looks real promising. Crikey....101 inches long....
d
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Didja feel a bit more like a good and proper hairy knuckled caveman? Nothing like getting back to our roots!
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Hairy knuckled, bare footed and sportin' a wood(bleep).....nevermind..... HA
It's killin' me that I can't get some light to inspect the growth rings...and I HAVE to go to work all day. I'm gonna be crazy by tomorrow evening....
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dco, what kind of things did you want to trade for?
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I haven't really thought about it...
I usually just burn this stuff, but this is too nice to burn. I have the proper tools, but certainly don't have the expertise to tackle bow making. My reason for contacting this board was soley for NOT screwing up this wood so someone can ply their craft on it. I teach CNC mill and CAD design in a high school and sometime use small blocks for special projects...but this is way beyond what I usually mess with.
What is a primitive bow worth? What is a stave like this worth? I haven't a clue. Help me out.
d
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they are worth whatever they are worth to YOU! once you get some pics up we will get a better idea, but untill then, think of something you would like to have for one and we can see what we can do, that's the great thing about this group, we don't trade based on monetary value, but on what we think it is worth to ourselves and the person trading it
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Let me get some pictures...
Primitive in every way! Bartering! LOL I love it! I'm kinda likin' this place...
Here's pictures of my "workshop." My "craftsmanship" extends to creating little pieces from the big ones, throwing them in a pile till they get old, and burning them while stargazing. As you can see, my one-man timber saw is antique and I've dreamed of a new one someday.... The axe on the left is how I take the trees down and the old saw is how I get the logs into pieces I can carry.
The log we're discussing took me two days to get out of the woods. I made a rope sling and dragged that big SOB to my truck. It was pure pleasure to take a splittin' wedge to it!
{:-{)
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I dunno about the rest of you but I think dco1958 fits right in here. I like the tool shed.
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Thanks...I built it especially to fit that timber saw....
Hey...I betcha a bow would fit in there too! LOL
Bad news...it's rainin' like hell and I can't get photos today. Crap!
Oh well...off to watch MMA instead...
d
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MMA? Mixed Martial Archery?
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Think MORE primitive...HA....
and NO...it's not Mixed Martial Atlatls either...LOL
d
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Photos:
1. Big end...notice the far left stave has a branch a few feet down. The other three have no knots/branches.
2. Small end
3. Pile 'o staves
4. Standing the largest quarter. I'm a little under 6 feet tall.
If you need closeups or any particular shots of the staves, please let me know. I'll be happy to oblige.
d
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yummy yummy yeller wood!
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The log split really well. You can see that the growth rings stayed intact end to end. I sealed with polyurethane and sprayed with insecticide. Should I split the larger stave into two?
d
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depends, how wide is the larger stave?
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Big end: From bark to center...4 3/4 inches. 7 inches wide.
Small end: From bark to center...4 inches. 5 inches wide.
d
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8) Let the bartering begin! what are you in need of dco?
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you migh be able to, but the risk might not be worth it, so like fred said, what would you like for one of them?
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Anchorseal is fantastic for sealing logs. It's a water based wax emulsion. Don't ask me how they do that.
http://www.uccoatings.com/products/anchorseal
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Like I said in an earlier post, I only have a vague idea of the value of the wood and I'm not sure if it would be okay to ask for a bow to made from one of the staves. The last bow I owned was a Fred Bear recurve (a Black Bear 45#). That was in '75. I don't collect things just to hang on the wall; so, if someone wanted to trade a bow, I'd have to take up archery again...(grin).
I'm a tool guy and as you can see by my "workshop" somewhat of a minimalist. (grin) I'd love to have a fairly new 36" or 48" one man timber saw or a leather carrying case for the antique saw I've been using for the last 20 years...but I ain't picky. Anybody have saws, axes, hatchets, drawknives, etc. they ain't usin'?
d
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as far as making a bow as a trade for the staves, if you sent me enough for two bows, i would defiantly make a bow in exchange for some wood once it had seasoned of course, if that interests you i would e fine doing that
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dco, could you measure the stave with the branch growing from it. I'd want measurements from both ends to the branch also and full length pics showing both ends clearly.
Thanks, Fred
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Those are some nice looking quarters DCO. Having shipped a lot of osage, here are some osage related suggestions.
- The post office (IMO the least expensive way to ship bow wood) has a limit of 108" (which is length + circumference) of the piece of wood. If you go longer than that the shipping costs go up.
- I personally never ship wood until at least 6mo after it's cut. I guess I might bend that rule IF the recipient were paying the shipping. Green osage is HEAVY!!
- If I'm paying the shipping I always remove the bark and sapwood, then seal the back.
- Unless somebody wants to make a warbow, I would try to cut your wood in 6' lengths, the 3-4' remaining pieces (billets) can be spliced into a full length stave
What I'm saying is that both lower shipping costs and better bows come to those who wait. ;)
George
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"straight, knotless log 8 feet 5 inches long"
Yup, thats a rare one. I never see those unless they are in trees too big for me to (want to) cut. I mean I can cut a good sized tree, but that is about it. I sure as heck can't get it down, as they usually don't wanna fall from getting stuck up in other trees and vines. I think the best osage trees to cut are ones you can drag down yourself. Maybe if osage were made for longbows, it would come in longer straighter lengths, and would be lighter so it wouldn't have as much handshock and shoot faster in a longbow design, >:D.
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i agree with tommanyknots and gstondeberg, unless the person want to make a warbow, it would be bestto cut around 6ft, also, it would be best to let it dry a little, as whoever gets it will have to wait for it to season before use, so no use paying for extra shipping beczsue of the weight of it being green. that being said, i would be trying to make a warbow from a piece if i traded for one, but you coul still cut down to around 84in.
by the way, i jsut wanted to thank you for keeping this wood to trade on here, i ahve seen too many nice straight logs cut up
thanks
noel
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I agree with gstoneberg. I shipped some osage awhile back in a trade and the shipping went from $54 to $99 because I was 109 inches instead of 107! A lot of the oldtimers prefer sister billets over full length staves anyways.
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Thanks to everyone for advice and input. I'm sure these staves are worth the effort. See pictures below. If you need better pictures with more detail, I can post all such requests on my website. Let me know what you need.
I live in Waco, Texas, so unless you can drive by to pick one up, I'll probably need to remove the sapwood. Unless I hear otherwise, I'll probably begin stripping the sapwood in a couple of days.
d
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what do you want for the one the square is on in the first pic. On page 2 I'll take it.!!!!!!!!
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I would like an osage bow in trade. That's one big heavy stave to ship to 'Bama. I can get better photos tomorrow of that particular chunk 'o wood.
d