osage diameter question

[scrub-buster]

I want to attempt my first long bow out of osage.  What diameter and length of tree would be the best.  I would like to end up with a 50lb bow.  We have 75 acres that is mostly osage, so I have a pretty good selection to choose from.  I just ordered the Traditional Bowyers Bible.  I would like to cut a tree this week and get started.  I have the traditional bug now and can't stop thinking about building a bow.  Any help would be appreciated.

[Pat B]

Any tree or shoot growth from 2" in diameter or larger will make a 50# bow...or more. Probably an ideal size is around 8" to 12" and as straight as possible. Examine the bark to be sure the grain doesn't twist or spiral around the trunk.

[Roy Steele]

Sorry the best you can do is cut your tree.Seal the ends to stop moisture lost to fast.Leave the bark on.Split into staves not saw.Spray with pestaside to keep wood boures off.Ruff your bow down to fourm.And if you don't have a hot box built you have the best part of a year to weight.
  With Osage it should season at least a year naturaly.Don'
t put it out in the sun.

[ChristopherO]

The Traditional Bower's Bibles and Hunting the Osage Bow will show you how to dry the stave out so it can be used earlier.  But pay particular attention to how the different woods are preped as osage will split and crack almost instantly if treated like a white wood.
Have paint or glue at hand when you cut the log and apply liberally to the ends right away.  They will start to check with in minutes without it.

[Eric Krewson]

Shellac is hands down the best sealer for ends and backs of osage staves. Don't take the bark off unless you have time to take the sapwood off, sapwood checks easily.

Buy "Hunting the Osage Bow" and follow the osage cutting advice, best info available on how to handle osage after you get it on the ground.

[John Scifres]

Where do you live in Indiana?  I can help cut for a share of the wood and show you the ropes on tree selection and wood handling.

[scrub-buster]

Will wood glue work to seal the ends?  I am planning on splitting the log and splitting out a stave.  If I Remove the bark and sapwood, how soon could I start roughing out a bow?  Is it best to cut osage in the winter?  Sorry about all of the questions.  I am new to the traditional world.

[George Tsoukalas]

Glue will work for the ends but not for the back. You'll hasve to seal the back when you remove the bark and/or sapwood. Jawge

[Pat B]

I wouldn't remove the bark and sapwood yet. Split the log at least in half seal the ends and let it rest for a month then split it down to smaller staves. Take one of these staves and remove the bark and sapwood and immediately seal the back. I use spray shellac from a paint or hardware store.
   You can now reduce the stave to almost bow size and give it another month and it might be ready to tiller but you will have to determine that.

[shamus]

Ideal is around 6-12, maximum workable diameter perhaps around 12-14". The bigger the tree, the harder it is to split. The smaller the tree, the higher the crown.  

I use wood glue to seal the ends of the stave: cheap, and it works. For sealing the back I'd use poly or shellac.

If you remove the bark and sapwood on a green Osage stave, then seal the back ASAP. You can rough out a bow immediately, but waiting won't hurt. If the wood is green, seal the back and clamp it to a 4X6 to prevent warping. More info on my website:

  http://analogperiphery.blogspot.com/2008/08/drying-and-seasoning-wood.html  

Hope it helps