Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Timo on March 30, 2011, 10:02:24 pm
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There is a saying that sometimes good fortune runs over us like a Mack truck. Well, I got splattered today! Last week, I bought a log from a post cutter about 20 miles near my home. At 9 feet in length, and 15” across the butt, it was by and far one of the best looking logs that I have ever laid eyes on. I paid the man, cut it to the desired lengths, got it quartered, sealed the ends and stored it back of the shop until I could get more time to work it up. Well today I got some time.
With a log this good it pays to take some time to really study the best overall way to gather the most for your buck. The main splits where pretty much straight forward, with few surprises, garnished by many nice belly splits.
All sealed and standing pretty, I then turned my attention to the 3 footer. I decided to take a few pics showing what the process is that I go through with a good quality log.
I wanted to keep these billets matched up as close as I could, so here is how I go about it.
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Once the main split is done, then the belly usually just pops right out. Just continue to the next mark and work away.
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When I have a log this good I usually will clean the bark and sapwood off, then run them through the band saw, keeping the two halves together. This pic shows what this half log yielded. The belly splits need sealed up right away. There was an extra on this one, so maybe there will be on the other half.
The other half had a few bad spots near the core, but I was able to get enough to match up with the one extra I had on the first round.
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Here is a pic of what the whole log yielded. Yea…I’d say some good fortune?
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Beautiful!
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Looks like ya got some bows to make!! ;D
I have some questions. Belly split? Is that the split without the bark? When you say you seal the ends, Is that the end of the log that was cut? Leaving the bark on you don't have to seal that side?
Is all the moister to come out of the belly part of what will be the bow?
Sorry so many questions but I just don't understand really getting staves and such.
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That was a nice log :o well done on the splitting!
Josh
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Acutus... Belly splits are also called "inside splits" - the marked out sections that are below the curved marker line in the first pic.
Tim... beautiful haul!!
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I would'nt know what to do with myself if I came across osage that pretty and straight. ;D God Bless
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HOLY SMOKES THATS COOL 8)
ive never seen so many nice staves from one log
let alone hedge
not that i get a chance to see alot of hedge
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Nice work Tim. Went through a similar process myself with some more Winged Elm last weekend. Now I just need to find some fine Osage like you have there, and repeat.
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Nice, clean, and darn straight..... :)
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That wasn't no Mack truck! More like a BNSF 100 car train. I'd say you got your money worth outa that log Tim ;).
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Thats cool!! That looks almost like DET cord in the first pics,,,you sure you split them?? Or did you blow them?? :o
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sweet haul. good fortune indeed!
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That's some good splitting. Awesome thread. This is going to help a lot of people.
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Real nice haul there Tim !
I'd get rid of the mushroom top on your wedge, those things can come off and do some serious damage to an eye, don't want to see you gettin hurt ;)
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Perfect timing with the short tutorial and pics...I hope I can better maximize the Osage I just hauled. Thanks for sharing.
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Acutus, I think your question was answered ok? As for the bark on, I leave it on until I can get some more time to remove it and the sapwood,then seal it REALLY WELL. As for the wood drying, all the moisture leaves through the belly and sides.
John K, I need to relieve all my wedges of their shrooms,they have been getting a work out lately. ;)
RIck Wallace, I never thought about Det cord! Not sure how well that might work? :-\
Wood this good doesn't come along very often,as far as straight,clear and with decent rings. The cutter where I got this one told me that he had several more to get out that he knew I would be interested in. It's just to dang muddy around here to get them out.
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Yes think I got it now! thanks Hatch and Timo!! ;D
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Very nice looking wood! I've personally never seen osage that large anywhere near that perfectly straight or without some gnarliness in the center. I try to split the big ones like that, but mine sure aren't that straight and it doesn't often work out quite that well. You are very fortunate to find such a perfect (and good natured) piece of wood and your splitting was as good as it gets. I'd say your plan came together nicely. I agree, this will help a lot of people.
George
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Nice haul, Tim and well executed. You got all you could from that log. Whe did you do with that center core?
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Wanna share your copious bounty with the less fortunate??? O:)
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thats a great job on splitting all so...and what i know about Osage..it looks like some premium bow wood..john
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Thanks for sharing that. Good pictures and descriptions like that are a huge help. That is some yield.
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Something I have learned in my years of working Osage, is that the better woods will almost always have a center core that is Straight,with few small limbs. Now that kinda is a no brainer, but some trees will put on limbs later in life, due to certain things that happen to them throughout their growing cycle.
Of those really good trees, I have found that the VERY GOOD ONES center core will be dead! It is an odd thing really,but makes perfect sense as those small limbs quite growing outward and die back, allowing them to be swallowed up by good straight wood.
I haven't figured out how to replicate this process yet, but I do my part by trimming small trees of their early limbs, when they are small, letting them become encased by good outer wood growth, oh,,,,, someone is going to be very thankful for me someday as there are several nice young trees on my farm that I have been pruning for a few years now.
Pat, the core on this tree was dead, and of no use.
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Awesome job and pictures. Thanks!
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Timo, that was really well done. You are setting a great example for the newcomers to selfbowyery by using a wedge w/o using a circular saw, which is intended for dimension lumber. :) Jawge
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excellent
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This process is sooo much more fun to watch than actually do! I got a few hedge trees around the house that I got picked out. One is near 60' tall clean limbed and asking to be turned into bow wood. Might try to get out this next week and figure how to lay her down. I do like the methodical way you went about splittin that log of yours open. Nice work Tim!
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Timo this is a great thread.good info on the splitting process for newbies like me.we have alot of osage here in the great state of Ohio.i will be searching hard this year.i have my eye on some good straight black locust,but you know that osage is like gold.thanks for the pics,steve
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Wow,,,,Excellent post, Good information. :o
Just for reference, what is a good price to pay for an Osage stave say 70'' long?
I have never tried Osage yet, But I plan to in the near future
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Bow Junkie, depending on who and where you get it and the quality of it.$50 to $90, plus shipping. There are alot of variables involved.
If you buy over the internet, be sure to ask for pics, of end grain,overall, pin knots,twist,reflex/deflex,When cut, etc. Gather as much imfo as you can about it before you pull the trigger. There are those that are willing to sell you junk, and smile.
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Thank you for the response Timo, and good luck on those staves.
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Nice haul, great info!
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Yer a glutton for punishment boy. Reminds me of the century tree, and carrot wood, and of good times.
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Hey David, been wondering about you bud! Good to hear from you. How are you doing these days?
Not a glutton by any means,just like a concrete flat worker,all you need is a strong back and a weak mind.I was working that log the other day and figured it was a good op for showing some of the probies bowyers a bit about saving wood.
I miss trees like the century tree,not sure if I will ever get another one like that.And I had completely forgotten about the carrot wood!Thanks for bringing that memory back.
Take care of yourself and you are still on my prayer list.
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Hey Tim, as usual great tutorial.
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That is some fine yeller wood right there! Great post Timo, now you got me wanting to go cut some hedge rows ;D
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wow
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Timo, I was just rereading this whole thread in search of some details and couldn't find them...maybe you can answer them for me?
Are you doing these splits once the wood is dried/seasoned or are you doing them while they are still fresh/green? Thanks.
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Lee, I always do it as time allows. If I have it,then I do it fresh off the stump. I also make clean end cuts when processing to be able to see the end grain better,and always re- date, and put some imfo on the stave/billets as to where it came from for future reference, after sealing..
On some of the billet wood, I will clean the backs down, seal really good, but leave them one piece.They can always be split, or band sawn later to half them.
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Thanks Timo...I only asked as I was out in my garage ogling my pile of recent Osage cuttings and I had 2 log splits/halves from a 40" chunk. I did a similar layout as you showed in your photo but my splits didn't work out nearly as neat as yours appeared and I was simply wondering if dried or seasoned Osage would split a bit cleaner and not have the thinner wood strands that tend to cling and keep the split from "popping" off cleanly. Anyway, thanks for the quick and helpful reply.
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Timo this post inspired me to go out, cut and split some Osage
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Good to know that a few pics can help out some fellow bowyers. 8)
Be sure and post some pics of yalls work. ;)