Osage billet bow "help-along"

[hedgeapple]

Art, my house is my shop haha.  Good idea about the RH meter for the house.  I was just looking at MC meters online.  My Ace Hardware should have them for around $25.

[artcher1]

Probably the same ones that Wal-mart has for 6 bucks . Very accurate and dependable. ART

[hedgeapple]

The MC meter, moisture content meter, at Ace is the kind you stick 2 prongs into the wood and it measures the moisture content of the wood.

[artcher1]

Oh, a moisture meter, I got you know! Mine hasn't been out of the drawer for about six years now. Pin type is kinda useless IMO. No, all you need really are those temperature/humidity gauges I mentioned. Instead of spending money on the tester you would be better served buying a humidifier.

[hedgeapple]

Here's the outcome of working down the checked billets--mostly a lot of kindling or possibly and atlatl or two.  These two billets will probably make a bow some time in my future, but not on my 3rd attempt at bow building.  They each have small limbs that have died and the tree grew overthem.  Each would make an interesting "see-thru" the limb bow.  But, again way beyond my abilities.


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[hedgeapple]

Here's my only other option for an osage bow at the moment.  The problem with it is it's only been cut for about 6 months.  It's a sappling.  I split it yesterday afternoon.  AND YES IT HAS BEEN COATED WITH POLY.  I think it will make a bow, but it might be just to soon for it.


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[Michael C.]

So set em aside and wait  They will still be there when your ready and I have read of some of these guys putting aside a piece they thought was impossible and a few years later making some incredible bow.

[artcher1]

Looks like enough wood to at least try for a bow. Get it roughed out to where the limbs are just bending (seal the back) and let it air dry for several weeks. It may or may not be ready for dry heat at that time so you might need to do any straightening by steam. ART

[Michael C.]

That wood looks like locust, even looking back at the ones you were working on before they look like locust. Maybe its just the light, can you get a shot of the bark on those?

[hedgeapple]

Michael, I promise you these are osage.  I have osage and BL on the farm.  I cut some BL staves last year after the ice storm.  I've attempted to work the black locust, chase a ring.  And it's completely different wood to work with.  The little curling shavings of these billets are bright yellow as opposed to bronze/brown of black locust.  And the BL is much harder to scrape.