Osage first try (ding ding)

[okie64]

Kelly, I like to use the drawknife until I get down to the last ring and then switch to a scraper just to make sure I dont cut through it. Start at one end and go from there. Dont be tempted to move up and down the stave or you might end up goin below your chosen ring.

[Pat B]

When removing sapwood I like to start at one end, remove out about 6" or so and work back towards yourself. When that is done move up another 6" and remove that back towards yourself. By doing this in incriments you have less of a chance of lifting more wood than you want.
  Also try using the draw knife with the bevel up and also bevel down. To me the bevel down gives me more controll. I do use it with the bevel up when I want to remove lots of wood or bark at once.

[J. Holden]

Well Kelly,  looks like you have a lot of advice.  Hope you're taking notes!  I wish I could throw some tips into the mix.  I've never worked with Osage before though.  Good luck and go slow.  I'll be watching this one.

-Jeremy    

P.S.  I'll see if I can come up with a band saw for you?  You want it sent to the same address?  Just kidding!  

[KellyG]

don, Osage, Pat,
Thanks I will have to print this off and pin it up where I can see it.
Osage,
the ring I want would be 3.5" once I get it down to there. Once closer to there I will know more from the advice I have be getting. I will post pics of every thing I can.

Jeremy Thanks you are a true pal.
thanks all,
Kelly

[KellyG]

Ok a little work done very little. I put the stave on a tuff box and sat on it. I was only working on the last 10" or so of the narrow end. I only removed a few layers. I found that on this small section bevel down and pushing away worked.  I also found that if I did a more slicing motion the drawknife moved smoother thru the wood. I would start the right or left edge of the knife and just push away from me while pushing the knife to it's opposite edge.
I did read a little in TBB  and their it said that a dull knife was best and the wood need to be well seasoned.  I also made a few passes with the spoke shave and I will need to learn how to adjust it, for it worked more like a scraper.
I need to post pics of the test area and of the whole stave.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I know your already overwhelmed with advice Kelly, it's alot to try and take in. Just develop your own style as you go because no 2 people do it exactly alike. You will get the feel for it with more experience shaving on that stave.

I don't know about the pushing with a draw knife? It seems to me that you wouldn't want to do that when you start working on the rings because you won't be able to watch your work closely enough when the knife gets out in front of you. But you have a lot of sapwood to get off before you worry about that.

I got myself a spoke shave and a 1" block plane on it's way to me and should be here anytime....maybe today? I'm going to put it to use as soon as the box arrives, so I'll mess around with it and maybe I can give you some tips on using it as well?
I'm actually in the middle of a bow build myself so I'll be working right along side ya except a couple 1,000 miles away.  

[KellyG]

Well I hope I can keep up. I will work just a little tonight on it with the draw knife. I will try and get some pics. Sunday is the day I will put a lot of time in on it. I am not over load with info I am getting, just the task at hand. Just like any task small steps every little splinter is that much closer. I keep telling my soldiers that all I have to do is remove anything that does not look like a bow. When done it looks like a dinosaur I did something wrong.

Keep the advise coming because I will keep the questions coming.

Thanks,
Kelly

[KellyG]

Ok tonight I did a little more. I removed a better part of the sap wood form about 18" of the narrow end. I started by sitting on it and pushing the knife away bevel side down. The I did a little with bevel side up. Then I propped the stave up so I could lean into it and draw the knife towards me. I tried bevel side down then up. I could remove some wood faster that way. I practiced trying to follow a ring but not very good. I did do it some.
I learned that rings dip and dive also. Pin knots are easy to just cut right off. How fare down should I start really trying not to cut them off. I tried tonight but I kept cutting them off. I still need to get some pic taken so I can get them up.
Oh spoke shave have no luck with it  at all.
Thanks Kelly

[Pat B]

Leave islands of wood around the knots and pins. You can deal with them later. Get all the sapwood off first before going into the heartwood. Once that is all done, take each heartwood ring down from end to end. This will help you get familiar with the wood and tools. You will feel and hear the different sounds the early wood makes as compared to the late wood. I think I could chase an osage heartwood ring with my eyes closed just from the feel and sound of the wood as you remove it.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Pat I wish I could be a fly on the wall in your shop......it gives me goosbumps when you say stuff like that. You've already forgot more than I'll ever know I bet?    

Kelly- It sounds like from your description that you don't have a bench or table to strap that stave to in order to work on it?
You said you were sitting on it and trying to shave the sapwood off? Man, you need something solid to secure that stave to, makes wood removal 100 times easier.

[hova]

let me tell you bud , get a way to secure that stave. if you dont have any way to clamp large pieces to a table nearby or desk , i get cheapie channel locks , as big as i  can get. adjust em so it clamps your wood snugly , with the handles almost together , then  put one of those 2" spring clamps you got on the handle of the channels. i have those same clamps , and thats how i secure my stuff.


-hov

[Jim Dahlberg]

Lots of good advice here.  Got any ratchet straps about?  Strap the stave down to a vehicle bumper with the amount of wood hanging out that you want to work on.  Move it as needed from one end to the other.  Done several this way while out camping.  Sit on a 5 gallon bucket for a seat.  When it's time to be careful with already open wood grab a foam sleeping pad and wrap the stave before strapping. Have fun!

[razorback]

Hey Kelly
Don't know if you have fixed you clamping issues yet but I just saw this device on another site and figured you might be able to get someone over there to put something together like it. Go to the motor pool or a machine shop and challenge them to make something like it. If you play your cards right and use simple psychology on them you might get a great fix. You are risking serious splinter issues doing it the way you are.    

 http://www.stavepress.com/

[hova]

that stave press looks pretty neat. im sure someone over there has some frame tubing that size. now all you need is a c-clamp and a tap set.


you need to show us a pic of your r&r area so we know what you are working with...

[SEMO_HUNTER]

If I had the steel tubing I could build one of those in about an hour. Price of steel has gone through the roof!

Wanna know what my bow building bench consists of?

An 8ft. 2x4 screwed to my work bench with 3" wood screws, with a piece under the end sticking out for a leg and it's about belly high on me. It looks like a big "L" hanging off my work bench.
Then I use a ratchet strap and a "V" block to snug my stave down and that's it. Nothing fancy about it, but it works great!
That's really all you need Kelly. A ratchet strap and something to strap the stave to.

[hova]

thats pretty close to what i have drawn up using bucked logs for an adjustable butcher block work bench...


ill get some pictures of my drawings , you'll see what i mean...


kelly: you should look at some shaving horse plans. that would be a good use for all those stumps around  not worthy of bow making...


-hov

[Red Tailed Hawk]

Dont have anything to add, but am following along on this one. Good luck Kelly

[J. Holden]

My first thought was ratchet straps.  I know first hand from my reserve days the motor pool should have some.  I'm thinking ratchet straps and the bumper of the General's hummer...

-Jeremy  

[SEMO_HUNTER]

No Not the Hummer!!      

[KellyG]

Thanks everyone. The sitting on and leaning on was just temporary because I am just making test runs in my room; now Sunday if the weather is good  I was going to strap it down to a picnic table. My plan did not involve ratchet straps but now it does, that would be easier then my ideal.
Pat B  I should be leaving island around Pin knots know while removing the sap wood I will start, them little things throw me off. No big Knot to deal with yet.
Thanks,
Kelly