Osage question

[McK]

I understand the sg of Osage is around .82.  I tested a couple sample pieces off a stave I am working on. A thumb sized piece when gently placed in a glass of water sunk directly to the bottom.  This is a dry piece of wood tested at 7% with a meter.  A same sized piece from a previous stave floats with about 85% submerged. My question is is this unusual and should the design of the bow differ from a typical osage design?
McK

[Pat B]

I've never done a s g test on any wood. I just build bows out of them and so far I've been quite successful.

[bigcountry]

For it to sink to the bottom means it has over a SG of 1.0.  Sounds strange to me.

I like just whittlin on wood myself.  But sounds like interesting experients.

[shamus]

I don't test SG. I just make the bow.

[DCM]

Wood varies a great deal from one specimen to the next.  The published numbers are averages.  Sounds like yours are both a little on the dense side, but yes that's normal.  The more dense the wood, generally the less volumn you need.  Most folks make 'em more narrow, but shorter is an options too, particularly if you are at or under 1" at the widest point.  Width provides for a little more lateral stability.

[Don Stokes]

The specific gravity of pure wood substance is about 1.43. Osage heartwood tends to have the cells clogged up with "extractive" chemicals, which bulk it up and increases the density. A good dense piece can easily exceed 1.0 with just a little water in it.

Makes lousy rafts.

[McK]

Thanks, was just curious, am aiming for a 68" flatbow and was wondering just how narrow I needed to make the limbs toward the tips.  Might be better off making it a little shorter.
McK

[George Tsoukalas]

If I find a limb not responding to thickness removal I begin to narrow the width little by little. Took me quite awhile to g=figure that out years ago. That kind of accounts for the differences in density.    Jawge

[Springbuck]

Not an osage expert, but wood does all kinds of stuff.  I have cut black locust grown in Utah that was .84 or so.  BL is supposed to be like .75 or less.  I attribute that to most of our water coming in winter, not spring, short springs and then the tree growing in a watered yard through many hot summers...

[Roy Steele]

I'm with PAT I just build bows.Ofcourse all of my staves are at least 5 or more years old.I  never test and for quite a few years now I only build Osage mainly.No heat,no backing fairly straight staved bows.
   These make the most durable bows that last forever.Over the years these are what I've grown to love..