osage stave question????? New pictures

[John Scifres]

I would bandsaw the outer split instead of splitting it if you can.  Either way, make sure you leave 3" across the bark on the best half.  That way you'll get one really good one and one narrow (splinter) at least.  I have made many 1" wide osage bows so you can still do great with a splinter stave.  Nice looking staves there.

[DCM]

Nice.  I'd try to integrate the knot into the bow, makes a nice feature.

On the outside half I'd get down to 1 ring above the back and then check.  You need 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" minimum at the bow's center.  But bear in mind at 68" long you can adjust, making best of what width you have on each side.  Like John says, better to slight one and get a sure thing, than to slight both and get two littles.  Depending upon how the grain runs I like to bandsaw but you need to get the belly worked down perfectly so the stave rides the table keeping the blade perpendicular.  If you don't you'll be fat on one side and narrow on the other.

This is what I mean by incorporating the knot.  Not the knot itself, just the shape of the surrounding wood.

 

 

[beetlebailey1977]

Yeah I see that....I am thinking the same thing.  I will probably split the top and take down the bark and sapwood to allow it to dry.  I put elmers white glue on the back of the bottom sister stave I split off..will that work ok?  I plan to stick them up in my attic for a year or so I guess.

[beetlebailey1977]

Ok I removed the bark off of the stave and split it where a crack had already formed prior.....I ended up with a narrow stave and a wider one that all the knots stayed in.  It was best I did it this way because the crack ran almost full length and had been there for a while because the wood was a lot darker there.  I will post pics tomorrow.  Do I need to remove all of the sap wood for drying or can I leave some on?