OASAGE/TREE

[lungbuster]

found some oasage tree tali to a old ladie in Frystown, sge told me if i cut it all dow i can have it,there is about 8 trees there veary nice
bow making materal,do u think i should take it down and how long does it take to cure uor can i start making a bow part way and then let the rest dry talk to me please

[HoBow]

I just had someone give me several osage trees and did not realize how much work I had in store and I felt rush because I did not want to let any wood ruin.  I would recommend cutting down one tree, splittling, debarking, sealing every stave then cutting down the next tree.  This way you do not have to worry about the staves checking....for someone like yazoo, 8 trees may not sound like much, but I rarely get to do anything with wood until the kids are sleeping 

[Kent D.]

Should you  take it???  Does a fat baby fart? 

Heck yea, get to cutting.  As for debarking, I never do so.  I seal the ends and put them up.  that is it.  I only debark my white woods that I plan on using the cambiume as a backing.  As for how long it cures; Here in west Texas it takes about 9 months.  We are rather dry, so in most other areas, it might take a little longer.  I like to get all the staves I can and keep them drying in my shop.  That way, when I want to make a bow, I just go grab one.  I always keep adding to the bin.  I would love to find a bunch of osage I could cut.  Even thought I live real close to osage country, its hard to find some you can cut.   In our dry climate, I usually do not have to worry about insects.  I will bake them at around 160 degrees for a very short time.  Just enought to kill the boogers in the log.  And that is only when I cut osage in Oklahoma.   I have not had any bug problems in the osage I cut in West Texas.

[Eric Krewson]

Buy the Dean Torges book "Hunting The Osage Bow". The book has a chapter devoted to cutting and handling osage. Follow his instructions exactly and you will have a bunch of bug free, well prepared bow staves from your trees.

If you have not cut osage before you will need to have an axe, sledge hammer, lots of wedges, a draw knife and some scrapers before you cut the first tree. You will also need a bench mounted vise or bowhorse to hold your staves while you work on them.

I second the advice to only cut one tree at a time. If you do it right, plan on a week of pretty hard work, cutting, splitting, debarking and removing the sapwood from all your staves. This is just from one tree so you can imagine what you are facing if you cut more than one.

[Postman]

Awesome, lungbuster! look at the bark, cut the straightest one that has the least twist in the bark ( as you look up the tree, the bark may spiral around it - the wood grain does the same, so avoid that)  Do 1 to get the feel, and come back for more. Lotsa tutorials on here to check out.

[chessieboy]

you need help cutting let me know I'm about an hour from there and you. Send me a message we can get together.

Bill