Osage trees

[Muskyman]

I just talked with a woman who answered a post I put out looking for Osage trees. She said she has 3 big ones.  In your experience are big trees likely to be a good source or a disappointment.. I’m going to look at them tomorrow.. the few big ones I’ve seen didn’t look like they had much in the way of bow wood but, I didn’t look at them like I might cut them completely down just looked at the limbs in them..  I’m hoping that they might have a few good limbs but I’ll probably have to take the whole tree to get permission to cut them, which is okay, I’ll cut the rest up for firewood..

Any thoughts
Thanks, Mike

[Jim Davis]

It depend on the growing conditions. If the tree had to fight for sunlight and water. it's likely to have thin growth rings, twists and turns. If it grew in the open, there will be limbs near the ground.


You'll just have to size it up when you look at it. But you are certainly correct that Osage makes good firewood.

Staves some distance in from the bark of a big log may have wider rings, but there will be a lot of work to get down to them.

[Eric Krewson]

I would limit my osage tree size to 25" in diameter or less, everything I have cut was less than that. I have cut 20" trees; you have a handful with one that size if you are back off the road and working by yourself. I have ended over ended log quarters over 100 yards to get to my truck on more than one occasion, I was hale and hardy back then. 

I could have cut several almost as big as this one, having cut for years I knew my limits and walked by and left them alone.

This monster is next to the parking lot at my gym and is at least 5' in diameter.

[Muskyman]

Your picture looks like what I envisioned when I talked with her Eric. I’m hoping if it is and has some good looking limbs she will let me have them without having to take the whole tree..
She might be looking for someone to take these trees down and not have to pay to get them removed.   
I don’t want to get into a situation where I’m outgunned on these things.
I’ll look them over tomorrow and if it’s not worth it I’ll bow out gracefully.
Thanks for the input
Mike

[Muskyman]

Guess I should have posted that I was looking for these things a couple months ago. Got another message from someone that has some just a few miles from me.. Going to try and see them tomorrow as well..

[Eric Krewson]

On the tree in the picture; the power company topped it about 20 years ago; it came back with a dozen or more sprouts that are now 8-10" in diameter, 8' long to the first branch in and perfect bow wood. I could probably get permission to cut some of them but they are 20' up, I am an over the hill old guy and still have more osage stored at home than I will ever use. There was a time when passing on osage I knew I could cut would drive me nuts, collecting osage had become an obsession for me.

[Muskyman]

Okay, so I went to look at the Osage trees and did end up cutting some.. you guys tell me. Did I bring home some firewood or do okay

[Muskyman]

Nother pic

[Muskyman]

And another

[Muskyman]

The bigger ones are 7-8 inches from bark to bark and the smaller one is about 4 inches

[Eric Krewson]

There are lots of good staves in that pile, you can split out several piggy back staves out of each piece.

Like this;

[Muskyman]

So split then down the middle through the inner wood and not down the bark side?
Like this in red

[Muskyman]

Also I sealed the ends of these with polycrylic. Is that okay to seal with or should I get something else?

[PaSteve]

Great score Muskeyman. Good luck with those staves. They look great!!

[superdav95]

Ya they look good to me.