Look what I found!!

[8leg-lover]

Located this nice Osage next to a creek today. Got permission from the property owner to take it. It's about 9-10 inches in diameter. It has roughly 7 foot of awesome main trunk with no branches. The bark looks straight with no twists.

I've never built a self bow before or harvested Osage. I know I'll need to split this into staves and let it dry for at least a year. Any advice from you guys would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

[fujimo]

looks great- looks like it has a bit of twist- but should still be workable.
if you have never fallen a tree- do a bit of research on how to do it- its a small tree- we fall some pretty big trees up here in the PNW- spruce that are 6 to 8' across the butt- they kill many people every year!
 however- with a proper undercut, and a safe backcut- that tree would come down nicely. from the pics it doesnt look like the branches are hung up anywhere- that can be dangerous and a P.I.T.A.

with trees that are leaning- you really have to watch the tension wood on the top side- sometimes you just touch them with a saw- and they literally explode!
 but that is not a heavy tree- neither is it leaning to badly- i would be concerned with the tree splitting up the stem, if your back cut wasnt through quick enough- and it started to fall.

i am blabbing on about this- and you may be a proficient faller- but if you need any advice- i can throw some pointers your way.
good luck- looks like a cool project!

[David Flanrey]

Nice score!!  Like you said, cut it and split it up.  Make sure you seal the ends with something like shellac or heavy sealer.  If you want to speed drying process up a little on a stave or two go ahead and take bark and sap wood off with a draw knife.  Seal up the back and the ends good.  It will dry quicker without the bark.

[Mad Max]

Don't forget about billets in those upper limb's 40"

[Eric Krewson]

The most important thing to remember; If the bark comes off so does the sapwood, no exceptions. After removing the bark and sapwood seal the back well with 2 or 3 coats of shellac.

[Bowjunkie]

Nice tree.

Get Dean Torges' book, Hunting The Osage Bow. Read it before you cut that tree. He covers it all from picking and felling the tree to applying the finish and everything in between... tools needed and their care, drying boxes, bow design, tillering... An invaluable resource for what you're about to do.

As I made my first selfbow, his book was the only resource I had, I had never even held a selfbow prior, and my first bow still shoots today. I don't take credit for it, rather, see it as a testament to Dean and his book.

[scrub-buster]

Looks like that tree has a fair amount of twist.  Post some pictures after you get it cut and split.