Fresh cut Osage

[ranger 3]

How long do you have to wait to start working on a Osage stave? It has the bark and sap wood off and sealed.

Thanks

[wingnut]

If you are starting from green, I would get the bark and sapwood off, narrow the stave to 2", reduce the limb thickness to 3/4 inch and the handle to 2".

This is a good bow blank.  Make sure you seal the back and ends with shellac or glue.  It will dry in 3-6 months here in TX that way.

Mike

[ranger 3]

Thanks, Mike I edited the post.

[ranger 3]

Would you do this with a draw knife or a band saw?

[Pat B]

You can take an unseasoned stave down to floor tiller stage(about 4" of bend) without stressing it and it will dry quicker. I bought a stave the last of May that was cut May 8th and had a bow built by mid June. It was still unseasoned and took a bit of set but it's a fine shooting 60" bendy handle static recurve that I hunted with this year.
   You are better off allowing your wood to season out slowly but you can make a good bow in a few months like Mike said.  
   I would start with a band saw to remove the bulk of the excess wood then switch to a rasp and scraper for the rest.    Pat