Live Oak Stache

[BMorv]

I scored some live oak from our local park.  They were trimming limbs and were going to throw it all away, so I tried to salvage anything that I thought I could use.  I've never worked with live oak before, but apparently it is very dense and can make a great bow, and I've been itching to try it out.  
As you can see, most of these limbs are curved and have twist to them.  I plan on cutting it up this weekend.  I'll cut it up any way that I can for bow making, then I'll make lumber or fire wood with the rest.  
Any suggestons on how I can cut it up for making bows?  I see a few 3' billets in there.  Have you all had success splicing billets together for selfbows?  I've never done it with a self bow.
  [/url] [/IMG]
  [/url] [/IMG]

[Eric Krewson]

I have to be honest, I don't see any bow wood in that pile.

I have used spliced billets to make at least 100 bows, I wouldn't waste my time on any of your wood.

Here is what is wrong with your wood; too crooked, too small and too many knots.

You may get a workable piece out of the larger log on the left but you will have to be good with heat gun straightening.

[BMorv]

Thanks for the feedback Eric.  
 
It's still a score for me as I'll cut up what I can into square lumber for various wood working projects.  I would imagine it's great for anything requiring strong wood; handles and whatnot.  
I might try to quarter cut one of those large pieces and make a backed board bow.  I'm really interested in how live oak performs.  They are everywhere around me, but you basically have to cut the tree down and use the base as that's normally the only straight wood in the tree.  

It's strength and density properties are similar to Osage.

That big piece to the left must have weighed 500 lbs.  I still don't know how I got it in the back my truck.

[JamesV]

You could always saw it up and make some risers.

[skeaterbait]

It could also make some great smoke for a brisket or pork shoulder  

[YosemiteSam]

I've been tempted to see if I can cut some live oak off some nearby BLM land.  But a lot of those grow straighter than what I'm seeing in your pile.

Apart from any potential bow-making ideas, live oaks are an interesting kind of oak.

[BMorv]

[/url] [/IMG]
  [/url] [/IMG]  
Pretty pumped about this.  Got a guy at work to cut these live oak limbs up for me.  
Any recommendations on drying?  The curved pieces are from a few months ago when I originally posted this and the straight ones are from a week ago.  From what I've seen so far, live oak has a lot of internal stresses and holds a lot of water, so I just want to try my best to minimize checking and warping.  I'll sticker it and weight it down.  Any other thoughts?

[John Malone]

That's probably the best you can do. I had a couple boards like that years ago. I strapped them to some rafters in the barn and left them for a year. Not much splitting or checking.
That stuff makes great handles for all sorts of things and I would imagine good risers as well.
That's what they built the USS Constitution from and they nicked named her Old Irion Sides. Cannon balls bounced off of her. Don't know how true that last part is, but its some patriotic wood if nothing else.

[John Malone]

Also you have plenty of wood there to make a nice toddler size chair. or even a rocking horse. If you can make a bow you can make a simple chair for that newborn of yours.
One of the joys of being a father.
Or a paddle, one of the not so fun parts.

[BMorv]

Haha.  A paddle.  
I never even though about that part of parenting.  She's such a sweetheart I couldn't imagine having to discipline her....
Thanks for the advice. I have heard the same about Old Iron Sides.  Expect to see some bows from this stache in the next few months.  I'll pull a couple of the straight small pieces and try some speed drying.

[John Malone]

I had two girls, ya don't have to spank em just take their phone away, works like a charm.
Careful on that speed drying that will check fast.
I knew a fellow that dried smaller stuff in a box shaped like a hot box but he filled it with wood shavings. Think he got the idea from the Amish?

[BMorv]

Yeah I wouldn't try the speed drying until it dropped from it's original MC to around 20-30%.  Pretty much the fast drying method described in Bowyer's Bible.

[wood carver 2]

I'd make a real nice blanket chest out of some of that.
And some risers, of course!
Dave.

[BMorv]

Question for you guys cutting your own lams or boards for bow making.  As you can see those live oak slabs on the right side of my truck are flat sawn.  How would you go about getting 1x boards or lams out of those slabs?  Is flat-sawn straight grain good enough or should I be trying to quarter saw my pieces out of the planks?