Osage insite....please!!!!

[matt g meyers]

So friday night I get a call from a great bowyer friend who needs his "self bow guy" to come over and take a look at some osage that his client brought over.
O K things seem simple enough.The wood looks good;straight,no rot,no big limbs,just cut today,so I tell him he's probably got like 6 staves in there.

Then I get delegated to split and cut out the staves.( time out..I'm an Oregon boy,I've only played with Yew)

So now I need to produce some good bow stock and I dont want to mess this up.I'VE NEVER EVEN SEEN OSAGE LET ALONE WORKED IT.    

So starting from ground zero I'm going to seal the ends and de-bark and take the sap wood.(thank you very much bowyers bible)The log has a 7 in.diam. and I just planned on quartering it for starters.

Any other hints /tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Matt

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Be sure to seal the back as well as the ends with shellac if they're still green.
I recommend you read Dean Torges' book "Hunting the Osage Bow" I just finished it up and it's a great read.
You'll like that osage for sure.

[Eric Krewson]

Split from the small end to the big end and your split will be more likely to run straight.

[DCM]

I think 4 staves is safe, if any more maybe 1 depending in my experiece, assuming 7" on the big end.  

Read the log, looking for natural checks in the end grain you can exploit on the first parting.  Look along it's lenght and envision where your split could run, bearing in mind it's gonna always follow the grain, and ain't gonna run through a knot.  You can use a small hatchet to help direct the splits, and definately to help cut out the "stringers" as you progress.  If you don't, they'll influence how the rest of the split runs.

If you debark, do it after quartered and once you expose sapwood get it off down to heartwood.  Then seal that (heartwood) as quickly as practical, even if just an overnight for exmaple.

Post pictures.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I just and split some staves according to how Dean torges reccomends only I used a chainsaw to kerf the log istead of a circular saw.

 The way he reccomends is you look at your log real good for ANY knots, snakes in the grain, ETC. and cut a kerf following the grain in the bark and around knots to force the log to split where you want it to. Cut your kerf down into into the heart wood and split it along the kerf.
 Works pretty good.  
I like Erics advice on splitting as well and will remember that myself.
 All kinds of Sage advice here on the Gang that's for sure. LOL
 Good Luck

[John Scifres]

Wood 2009

Go for quarters and then make sure you get at least one stave from each quarter that is 3" across the bark.  Most logs over 8" have belly splits in the quarters too.

[matt g meyers]

Wow, thanks for all the help everyone. It was great to wake up this morning and see all the new posts.I knew I could count on you guys!

[razorback]

John. Nice picture essay on getting some wood and splitting it.

[Roy from Pa]

Very good site John. I know the feeling of sitting on top of a pile of Osage.


 

[DVSHUNTER]

roy it is a good feeling aint it. ;-)  

[shamus]

So starting from ground zero I'm going to seal the ends and de-bark and take the sap wood.(thank you very much bowyers bible)  

The Bowyer’s Bibles… you’re already on the right track. Not much more we can add to that.    

  Thoughts of mine on drying/seasoning wood  

  Evaluating osage  

Hope that helps, and good luck!

[Pat B]

If you take the bark and sapwood off be sure to seal the back very well or it will check. Leave the sides open so the moisture has a place to escape.

[RB]

Hope you don't skim over John Scifres' advice too quickly! It takes 3 to 3-1/2" of bark surface to give you a realistic 2" wide stave. Gotta watch this closely! How do I know hehe? I saw a kerf like Stiks-n-Strings said and have more predictable results (on whitewoods too). Go for it!

[Eric Krewson]

If you are going to kerf your log you better plan to leave your stave a little wider so you have enough room to salvage a stave from all those snakes you cut through with your saw.

[John Scifres]

I don't kerf osage.  I found it was more trouble than it was worth for me.  I also don't cut trees over 14".  I've had enough of that crap  

[Doug A]

I'm loving this info, I just wish I could book mark these usefull threads instead of posting in them for easier searching.  Thanks for the great tips guys.

[John Scifres]

You can book mark threads, at least on MS IE.  Just add it to your favorites.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

When you kerf a log Dean Torges says to follow the snakes around knots and such and to follow the grain in the bark.
 I cut a log last weekend and split like Erik said to do it from the small end and it worked great. I think I will do it like that from now on myself unless I get a log that I want to get a good snakt piece out of and need to control the split a little better.
 JMO, Kris