Ozbow

Looking forward to starting work on an Osage selfbow in about 12-18 months. Apparently the smallest billet has about 3 " of heartwood. Will look see if the biggest one will split into 4 staves.. I hope i am still getting around the bush by the time this project comes to fruition.

Cheers... Rod

You lucky bugger!!! They'll be worth the wait... ( I know what you mean tho, I have a stave here that has to sit until feb next year at least)

Fella's no need to wait that long. Get the Bark off those Logs, Split them into Staves and Whittle them down to Floor Tiller Stage. When Timbers Wider than it is Deep like when its a Floor Tillered Stave it will Dry so much faster, be far less prone to Warping and especially Checking, I'd go so far as to say it wont happen compared to when it's left alone. It also a good idea to cut Bow Tree's with an Axe, the larger surface area and jagged edges will allow moisture to escape without the Checking you get with Saw Cut Logs. Weigh those Floor Tillered Staves, when it has not lost weight for 2 Days Tiller away - it will be Dry. I have made many Bows that where Shooting 4 Days after I Cut them, records 3 Days. Think about it, once upon a Time a Bow was a vital Tool for Food, Protection, Life - Would you sit around and wait around for months or Years for a Stave or more to Dry in those circumstances.

regards Jacko

Good thoughts Perry. I am taking possession of the staves on our Gulf trip in a bit under 2 weeks. He is coming up through the middle of QLD and we are meeting for a hunt then I'll bring them home. They should develop some good mojo being in hunting camp for 2 weeks before I even get the bark off them. Either way I probably won't get time to make a bow from them until about Christmas anyway. We may be moving house after I come back if my wife is offered a new job in Ingham.

Is it necessary to take the sap off to help drying and prevent borer attack?

Cheers... Rod

Rod you are indeed a lucky man, any idea of the growth ring count per inch?

A liberal coat of insecticide may not go astray and check for any signs of infestation on a regular basis and re treat the logs if necessary.

Daryl.

Yes Daryl, I am. I swapped this D/R hunting bow (68"NTN 60#@28") for them. Hopefully old mate will blood it during the trip to the gulf. No idea on the ring density, will let you know when I clean them up in a months time.
Do you think the type of insecticide that goes on fruit trees or something like that, or just Mortien surface spray like you'd use in the house for cockies, ants etc.?

Cheers... Rod

That's alot of osage!...So jealous

In my experience Insect Attack is far more likely with the Bark on. Thin the Sap Wood simply because thinner Wood dries more quickly and evenly - painful Job though not one I'd relish with a great stack of Osage like that ! I've made several Osage Bows where I did not bother thinning the Sap Wood, they shot just fine, just did not look as nice as when you have that lovely thin layer of Sapwood contrasting with the Heartwood. Same deal with Aussie Timbers like Brigalow and Mulga, Sap Wood Bows can work just fine

regards Jacko

Thats interesting Perry. Everything I've read indicates the back of the bow should be a late wood ring, haven't seen an osage bow with a sap back yet. It seems like common practice with yew bows however. Perhaps it is a case of chasing minimum width by making the back the most resistant with a late ring. Would the bow need to be relatively wider to accommodate using only part of the sap for the back? Does the sap have a ring like structure that needs tone followed as one would with the heartwood? It seems like this requires much less work to make a bow = good thing

I am looking forward to taking a slice off each and having a look at the sap thickness and growth ring structure. Wish I had asked my friend to photograph it before sealing. I did think he was going to use PVA glue which should have dried clear. Maybe the glue is still wet in the photos.

Cheers.... Rod

Rod I reckon White Fella's tend to complicate everything, I'm a simplistic sort of 1/2 White Fella - I break things down nice and simple, [ read that as Lazy ] Imagine Stone Tools, would you want to be chasing Growth Rings on an Osage Stave with Stone Tools ?? I'm not keen to do it with Steel Tools

White Fella's also delude themselves and like things nice and straight, uniform and predictable and reckon they can do things better than Nature. Work with what Nature has grown, don't work against it, go with it. Steaming twists and kinks out etc in my view is not worth the effort, Nature will win.

We also have different growing conditions, Seasons and Soil here in Australia - Osage aint Osage. Native Tree's vary region to region, let alone an Introduced Species, another Continent in another Hemisphere.

Work it down to that pretty Yellow Heartwood or chase thin Late Sap Wood so you get that lovely contrast between Back and Belly by all means ! BUT, experiment ! try a Bow with the Surface immediately under the Bark as the Back of the Bow, it'll Work !

Osage is a heavy Timber, not as Dense as many Aussie Timbers and for those new to Selfbows in my view is best suited to Man Tall narrow Lenticular Cross Sections, say 1 1/4" Wide and a Working Handle. Not to say a shorter Pyramid Limb Bow is a poor choice,far from it, just for the beginner stick with those designs that are less effort! You will find it is natural to lightly crown a Staves Belly when working it. A Flat Belly or rectangular Cross Sections is difficult to get right by comparision

Really looking forward to what you do with this Timber Rod

regards Jacko

rodlonq wrote:.......Do you think the type of insecticide that goes on fruit trees or something like that, or just Mortien surface spray like you'd use in the house for cockies, ants etc.?

Rod,

Surface sprays may have to be applied on a regular basis. It may pay to get in touch with a rural supply store regarding what products may be available that are suitable for your purpose.

From a safety point of view you won’t want use a product that will leave harmful residual chemicals in the timber that you are processing.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/yates-500ml- ... e_p2961216

The following is a ‘home brew’ from the USA.

Buy a couple of cans of Castrol anti freeze and a couple of tubs (500g each) of borax dissolve the borax in warm water and add the antifreeze add 10 to 20 litres of cold water and thoroughly spray the wood with it to the point of run off.
This should fix it and make it resistant to termites for your lifetime: This is basically what Tim-bor is.

Daryl.

lot of yellow sawdust there mate