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Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:02 am
by bigbob
Had a mate ring me up after he had been on a hunting trip [unsuccessful] into NSW, and saying he had a present for me and to bring my van. This the the 'present'. What a mate! Seems it was just a limb removed from standing tree. Growth rings are very contorted on compression side of log but there are some seemingly workable ones to the right of centre and where the dark split is.Not sure though when I go to split it later whether I can control the splitting process to contain that area within a stave. the log is a bit over 2 metres.
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:05 am
by bigbob
this shows the rings with one side being severely contorted. Right where the dark split runs away from centre looks like the rings might be workable. The log is about 10'' in diameter
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:15 am
by longbowinfected
find out where the rest of the tree is and any mates might be a more urgent task. Tell the occupants if they want the tree(s) trimmed there will be a large crew to do the deed. It will be finished in minutes.
Kevin
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:21 am
by bigbob
Kevin, he said this property just considered them a weed and usually just dozed them into a pile!!!! Will find out more from the mate when I see him. I'm not sure whether seasons here play as important a role in the best time for felling as happens in much colder climes.
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:26 am
by Jim
At the risk of further illumaniting the depths of my ignorance, what is it?
Jim
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:58 am
by bigbob
wooden gold Jim, Osage Orange, one of the best bow woods available.
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 4:10 pm
by Mick Smith
The 'experts' say, the best time to harvest osage staves is in the depth of winter, as there's less sap and moisture trapped in the timber at that time. Some even say that it should be harvested at night when there's no moon, but I'd say that would be more to do with superstition than anything else.
Hopefully, you could still end up with a nice little bow out of it anyway. You will need to prepare the osage for seasoning by splitting out your stave or staves, ripping the bark off and then by sealing the ends and the back of the stave to minimise checking while it dries out.
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 4:13 pm
by Jim
bigbob wrote:wooden gold Jim, Osage Orange, one of the best bow woods available.
That's awesome Bob! I've read about it enough, it's nice to put a face to the name, thanks
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 4:47 pm
by longbowinfected
Bob, with a stash of old yellow you would never run out of mates. I love the stuff.
That is a pretty straight piece compared to most, lateral pieces always have problems due to the effects of gravity ......not a super bad problem to have in hand Bob.
I have an ELB made of OO and there is not a straight plane on it. Really lives up to the name "bent stick"
Kevin
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 4:58 pm
by bigbob
Did you ever see the photos of my 'snake 'bow I received in the Trad Gang bow trade last year Kevin ? Only place the string is over the bow is at the nocks and middle of riser. Brilliant bow.I don't want to push the issue with my mate re the origins of the O.O. but will endeavor to find out the location.
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 5:33 pm
by greybeard
Bob, if the splits go a bit 'wild' you can tame them with steam.
Daryl.
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:09 pm
by rodlonq
That'll give you something to look forward to in a year or so time Bob (just guessing). How long will you dry it before shaping staves into a bow. Need to get onto that bunny about a moisture meter now mate
Cheers...... Rod
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:15 pm
by Roadie
Ay Bob, I have just cut up a heap for firewood, got a trailer load last year from a friend when he cleaned up his block. Makes a great fire on a cold night with a Horn of Malt. Sorry for that, But have to keep warm in the Sth, I must say it does have a nice smell to when it's on the Fire. Cheers Roadie.
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:33 pm
by Mick Smith
Seasoning time will vary depending on the size of the stave/log. I will be quicker if you split the log into staves first, as the staves will release their moisture faster, being smaller.
If I owned your log, I would look at it carefully to see where it might be split to give me at least one good bow. The section that you would choose for your stave would have a regular, uniform arched grain. It would also have the minimum of knots in it. Hopefully, if would have little twist and it would be as straight as possible.
Once I had the stave split away, I would scrape off the bark down into the sap wood. The bark can harbour all sorts of nasty insects, so it's good insurance to get rid of it. I would then paint the surface of back of the stave and the staves ends with polyurethane. You do this to stop the back and ends of the stave from splitting when as it dries out.
Such as stave should be left to season for at least 6 months. If you removed some timber from the stave, ie, take the limbs down to 1/2 inch thick and rough out the handle, before applying the sealant, the seasoning time can be reduced to less than half of this time. Generally, you're better off to season the stave for a year or more. It should be placed somewhere where the temperature and moisture is fairly constant.
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:36 pm
by Mick Smith
Roadie wrote:Ay Bob, I have just cut up a heap for firewood, got a trailer load last year from a friend when he cleaned up his block. Makes a great fire on a cold night with a Horn of Malt. Sorry for that, But have to keep warm in the Sth, I must say it does have a nice smell to when it's on the Fire. Cheers Roadie.
Sacrilege Grant!! Osage orange will make an excellent ELB too apparently.
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 7:08 pm
by Roadie
Ay Mick, when a mate offers you free firewood what ever it is you don't say no, have to keep the Bride Happy, you know the Old saying (Happy Wife, Happy life). A good Log fire and a great Drink, Happy Bride, what more does a Man need. Cheers Roadie.
Re: Look what Santa brought!
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 7:24 pm
by bigbob
greybeard wrote:Bob, if the splits go a bit 'wild' you can tame them with steam.
Yep got that info in my arsenal. That'll give you something to look forward to in a year or so time Bob (just guessing). How long will you dry it before shaping staves into a bow. Need to get onto that bunny about a moisture meter now mate
Cheers...... Rod
depends on how i go about it but probably 12 months or so , still hoping the bunny might put in a showing too Rod.
Mick Smith wrote:Seasoning time will vary depending on the size of the stave/log. I will be quicker if you split the log into staves first, as the staves will release their moisture faster, being smaller.
If I owned your log, I would look at it carefully to see where it might be split to give me at least one good bow. The section that you would choose for your stave would have a regular, uniform arched grain. It would also have the minimum of knots in it. Hopefully, if would have little twist and it would be as straight as possible.
Once I had the stave split away, I would scrape off the bark down into the sap wood. The bark can harbour all sorts of nasty insects, so it's good insurance to get rid of it. I would then paint the surface of back of the stave and the staves ends with polyurethane. You do this to stop the back and ends of the stave from splitting when as it dries out.
Plan on doing it much the way you suggest Mick.[ q"]Ay Bob, I have just cut up a heap for firewood, got a trailer load last year from a friend when he cleaned up his block. Makes a great fire on a cold night with a Horn of Malt. Sorry for that, But have to keep warm in the Sth, I must say it does have a nice smell to when it's on the Fire. Cheers Roadie.
Roadie that is the worst news one could hear, burning osage should be a capitol offence!!!
