Osage trees

[Muskyman]

I’m going to start taking the bark off some tomorrow.
What do you guys think the best thing to seal them with is.  I used polycrylic because I had a little sitting around but I’m going to pick something up for when I get the bark off.

[superdav95]

I use a brush on poly sealer as well water based.  I’ve had good luck with it.  A little goes a long way.  I put little more on the ends.  I’m sure there’s lots of different options you can use that’s cheap. 

[M2A]

Looks like a great haul of staves you harvested, congrats.

Like Mr Outlaw I use tight bond on exposed backs and ends on staves with osage and locust. I was lucky this summer and went through a gallon of glue on about 50-60 staves. think it cost me 25$ but well worth it IMO. I spread it out my fingers, but you may find it easier and safer using some of those cheap foam brushes.

good luck with the project.
Mike         

[Eric Krewson]

If you take the bark off the sapwood has to go as well, sapwood dries quicker than heartwood and will badly crack your stave even if the sapwood is well sealed.

The bark has wood wasp eggs in it, if you don't have time to get the bark and sapwood off all of your staves you need to spray the bark with an insecticide.  Powder post beetles are the worst, they go in the top of the stave and out the bottom, wood wasps work on the sapwood and first layers of heartwood first, if caught in time they can be stopped.

Start your belly split with something like a couple of screwdrivers pounded in following the grain you have marked. Some osage cores split off easily and cleanly, some run off to another grain and may make a thick end and a way too thin end.

Don't get greedy, it is better to have two good staves than to shoot for a third and have a split go cross grain and mess up a lot of wood.

4 coats of shellac on sapwood, where I live the sapwood always cracks if left on, after I had a bunch of ruined staves from being lazy, I never leave the sapwood on a stave if I take the bark off.

[Eric Krewson]

On this stave the sapwood is so thick I am splitting it off like I would split off a piggy back stave.

[Muskyman]

I might try the screwdriver thing Eric   I’m not sure if I’m getting all the sap wood off. Here is a picture of one I did and sealed.. do I need to keep getting more off. I did the one I thought was the worst one first

[Muskyman]

I guess that orange wood in the picture above is what I should be shooting for
Here’s the picture of the one I did and sealed

[Muskyman]

Just quit peeling off bark and sap wood for the day, I think I have a blister,and this old body is really tired.. cutting n splitting trees all day yesterday and working out with my draw knife today. Going to try and get more done tomorrow.  Did find another place to get Osage right by my house and they have lots of trees and said I can cut whatever I want. I don’t know if that’s good or bad

[Muskyman]

It sure is. I can’t imagine doing the crazy number you did. I probably would have quit on um before I got finished.. I need some better stuff for splitting these I have. Tried splitting one today and it ran off to one side and it kinda jack up that stave some what. Think I saved it enough to get a 64-65 inch bow out of it. Not going to try anymore till I get some more wedges.
Worst thing about this is having to wait till they season. At least for me, I’m not a patient person.

[superdav95]

I hear ya on that.  It’s tough work when your trying to be careful too.  It’s gonna be worth though. 

[Muskyman]

I hope so Dave. I just hope I can do them Justice. I already know I’ll never be able to build a bow like you and many others on here can. Some of the bows I’ve seen on here make me just shake my head. I’ll keep muddling away and maybe I’ll get one made I’m really happy with one of these days.

[superdav95]

MuskyMan. Very kind of you to say.  There is a world of knowledge on this forum and a good bunch of constructive criticism and kind words of encouragement.  I’ve been to other forums and not had the same treatment I get here.  You will see the difference yourself when you get to making more bows and need some feedback and pointers.  I’ve had a lots of great guys on here help me through my builds and it’s a great community. 

[BowEd]

Nice haul of some good looking staves.
It's now that your building up some inventory of staves that you won't need to force dry any to be making bows.The hook is setting deeper into this bow making affliction.
I usually still cut 15 to 20 staves a year of various woods to keep my inventory up and have a dry stave to make a bow from any time I want to.

[Eric Krewson]

You can leave a few thin islands of sapwood on the back of your staves and be just fine. I used a drawknife on about 250 staves through the years, I cut most of the sapwood off with my bandsaw now, much easier.

[Muskyman]

Well it’s tough work but, I’ve always been willing to work. Unfortunately I think I might have injured my arm, maybe. It’s got a really weird feeling going on in the old bicep. Doesn’t really hurt but something isn’t right with it.. gonna try and get the one I was working on finished then see how it feels.. if it turns out I can’t use my draw knife and have to let these I have set till I heel up what can I put on them to keep the insects off till I can get back to them.. would borax work? Something else?