Author Topic: Giant Osage log find or am I going to be disappointed? (Read 2136 times)

John Scifres · « **Reply #20 on:** April 02, 2013, 08:33:00 AM »

I might have it hauled to a mill but there is no way I would try to split that monster. But I'm 46 years old and have lots of osage. If you are a young, large man, you might give it a go. Take pics. Bend with your knees. Find some help. Jason and Mike Westvang from Dryad bows live near Dallas. Jason's still pretty young.

razorback · « **Reply #21 on:** April 02, 2013, 11:13:00 AM »

I got 6" of snow this morning. I'm considering coming south to help and get some of Rob's wiskey.
Good luck with it. Tow truck would probably cost you $70 but would be worth it, if you have somewhere to store it. Check craigslist for portable milling services. You might be able to get them to mill the middle of it and leave enough on each side to split out some staves. If the slats are good you could probably get some of your money back selling them to suckers like us.

highpoint forge · « **Reply #22 on:** April 02, 2013, 11:50:00 AM »

What's a rollback?
I'm 42 but think I'm 12 so that helps...maybe some of my jiu jitsu team mates who are in training for the Dallas Open might work with me....we live in a condo so no real storage unless I could split it all up and get it down to the inlaw's farm in Montgomery outside Conroe....that's where I cure stuff. That thing is huge so it can't be processed here unless it was already "reduced"....

The city cut it so I'm sure tomorrow is curb collection day.

scrub-buster · « **Reply #23 on:** April 02, 2013, 12:03:00 PM »

What do the rings look like???

Is the bark straight or twisted???

highpoint forge · « **Reply #24 on:** April 02, 2013, 01:07:00 PM »

Man that log is too short. Pisser. I did get about a 9 foot long limb plus a nice chunk for nice handles and things:

The limb:

The chunk of limb I wish they left intact :

TimBoA · « **Reply #25 on:** April 02, 2013, 01:39:00 PM »

Are any of the shorter ones long enough to get billets?

highpoint forge · « **Reply #26 on:** April 02, 2013, 01:51:00 PM »

Plenty... Would need cutting.

CalebNH00 · « **Reply #27 on:** April 02, 2013, 02:50:00 PM »

I want some!!!

Razorbak · « **Reply #28 on:** April 02, 2013, 03:18:00 PM »

billets is the way to go..roll them home and have at it

wish I had osage as well

scrub-buster · « **Reply #29 on:** April 02, 2013, 03:32:00 PM »

How long is the big piece?

highpoint forge · « **Reply #30 on:** April 02, 2013, 04:07:00 PM »

9-10'... What should I seal it with? Wood glue or spar urethane?

Update: went to HDepot and bought some spar urethane to paint the ends with, and will leave bark where it is.

John Scifres · « **Reply #31 on:** April 02, 2013, 04:24:00 PM »

I wouldn't mess with the butt log there but I sure see some billets in a couple of the other pieces. Look at the grain and find where it doesn't swirl or barber pole. Anything longer than 32" will make billets but I usually cut them 36".

I use shellac to seal the ends.

How long is the 9' limb from those smaller limbs coming out of it to the end?

k-hat · « **Reply #32 on:** April 02, 2013, 05:01:00 PM »

Man that's a cool find. I live about a half hour north of you, wish i could get there to "help"

you but i can't. Once came across a pretty straight monster osage that fell over, roots still intact. Only got a few 10" branches (and an all-over body ache) before the city hauled the blasted thing off!!!

highpoint forge · « **Reply #33 on:** April 02, 2013, 05:20:00 PM »

This is the limb. Is it Osage? Bark looks suspicious!

8'6" and 6" across.

highpoint forge · « **Reply #34 on:** April 02, 2013, 07:41:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by scrub-buster:
How long is the big piece?

My guess is right at 5'. They cut into it pretty good with their saws at one end and scarred it up, if that matters. I think the long branch I grabbed isn't suitable for a stave, looking at the rings....spacing is far and kinda arched.

DVSHUNTER · « **Reply #35 on:** April 02, 2013, 07:53:00 PM »

It looks like mulberry from the new pics.

highpoint forge · « **Reply #36 on:** April 02, 2013, 08:07:00 PM »

All of it? That chunk sure is yellow..... This limb I'm sure is not Osage. But, those are thick rings and the woods dead straight... What about the pile on p2?

Bowjunkie · « **Reply #37 on:** April 02, 2013, 08:36:00 PM »

Yep, looking back at those other pics, I think that thing might be mulberry, not osage. The bark doesn't look furrowed/rough enough for a big old osage.

Either way, there's bows in that thar tree.

highpoint forge · « **Reply #38 on:** April 02, 2013, 08:39:00 PM »

I'm going to go back for a second look. The bark is definitely rougher on everything else except for that limb there. If I can split it it will yield many three-foot billets. Billets can be laminated together obviously to make a longer bow. I didn't even realize that...... I've been thinking one long continuous solid piece the entire time.

http://www.murraygaskins.com/mulberry.html

highpoint forge · « **Reply #39 on:** April 02, 2013, 09:14:00 PM »

Another shot of the pile minus the giant log but including the mulberry stave.

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Author Topic: Giant Osage log find or am I going to be disappointed? (Read 2136 times)

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