Osage preperation question

[BowJunkie]

I recently posted an add on craigslist "localy" for bow woods, and as luck would have it; I have the opportunity to get more Osage bow staves than I can shake a draw knife at.
I have never worked with Osage, so my question is, what preparations should I take when I cut down these trees and start splitting out staves?
Thank you for your time and comments.

[Pat B]

Like any other tree you want to be sure the bark doesn't spiral around the tree. I prefer trees about 8" to 10" in diameter for practical workability purposes.  Cut your logs and at least split them in half and seal the ends. After a month or so, if you have the desire to, split down to stave size, strip the bark and sapwood off and seal the back.  I would at least split down to stave size and treat the bark for insects.  Any piece over about 36" can be used for billets.
  The bark will peel off very easily this time of year. 

[BowJunkie]

Thank you for the reply Pat. My next question is, what would you use to treat for insect?

[SEMO_HUNTER]

If I were you, I would try not to get the big eye like I always seem to do and just cut a small amount to start with. Work on just 1 tree and only take a couple logs cause you could always return and get more, especially if you get in good with the land owner.
If you cut too much all at once it will overwhelm you with too much all at once, cutting and splitting, then debarking/removing sapwood is quite a chore.

That way you can finish the job within a resonable amount of time, cause the longer you leave the bark on that osage the higher the risk of having a worm start eating your precious heartwood. Spraying for insects won't kill the eggs that have been laid inside the bark.
Also you can't just debark them and not remove the sapwood it's all or none with osage or the sapwood will split right down into the heartwood even if you have them sealed properly.
Get em cut, get em split, and get em down to the first ring and sealed as quick as you can. You'll thank yourself for it later. Then just sit back and let em season, you'll build some nice bows out of that this winter so get out there and get er done!

[Pat B]

I've heard of folks using Malathion. Check the lables to see what would be appropriate.
  I have also heard of folks saturating the bark with deisel fuel or kerosene. Hopefully someone with more knowledge of this will chime in.   I have cut very little osage.

[BowJunkie]

Great input guys, and thank you for the info.
I guess i have my work cut out for me, This person has 7 osage trees and they range from 4'' to 12'' in diameter and they are really really tall.
I do however have another question.
Osage usually has long runner limbs, the ones that are too small to make a bow with,,,, could you use them to make arrow shafts?
I have never heard of anyone making arrows from Osage, that is why I ask.

[DCM4]

My experience has been if you cut late, this is late, it's really hard to keep the bugs out unless you debark.  If you cut early (obviously depending upon your climate) say before daytime temps average above say 50 and then have a 8 or 10 weeks to get the wood (once staved out) partially dried before the bug hatch becomes active you'll avoid a lot of trouble.  Once infested, and the wood comes to you with larvae already in the bark, its tough to control them when the temps get right for them to be active.  I've tried all manner of sprays, even tents and foggers.  Seems like they only like wood with some sap in it, rarely range deep into the sapwood unless it's real wet still too.  Get the wood dry enough, with time or by removing the sapwood, they got nothin to eat and will not linger.

I'd agree with others, maybe fetch a small tree now and get it staved out and debarked for something to work on, then plan to go back for more earlier next year, or later this when temps get right. 

Osage shoot arrows have been done, run on the very heavy side cuz it's real dense wood.  And although those suckers look straight and nice, better candidates are likely nearby, eg sourwood, viburnam etc.

[Pat B]

Any suckers over 1" in diameter will make a bow. Any of about 2" or so will make a very good bow!

[gstoneberg]

I believe I spray my osage bark with Spectracide Triazicide and so far have not had a borer in something I treated.  I can find out for sure tonight (assuming I can remember that long).  The only thing I would add is that green osage is unbelievably heavy.  I bring my splitting wedges and maul with me when I go cutting so I can split larger logs small enough to lift them into the trailer.  Finding a couple interested young men in their teens can be very helpful (and normally helps keep them out of trouble).

Good luck.

George

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I have cut osage in August and then again in October and really couldn't tell much difference in the amount of sap that ran out of the wood, but then the sap probably hadn't gone down yet in October?
The worms that I found in August cutting and October cuttings were on logs that I purposely left whole and were alive and well inside the log burrowing away into the heartwood some 6 months later. I don't think it matters to a worm whether the wood is alive or dead, they just keep chewing and burrowing until they are ready to emerge and hatch into whatever kind of insect they turn into.

Your only real safe option is to cut/drop, split the staves, debark and remove the sapwood in a reasonable amount of time, like within a week or less and get those staves sealed.
Like DCM4 said, this time of year the eggs will be hatching soon and the damage begins almost immediately once they do and it's off to the races to eat some juicy heartwood.
My suggestion is still get a few logs and finish them all the way through to being put up with bark and sapwood removed and good heavy coat of sealer on them.
Then go back and get more later, maybe when it gets colder this fall or winter.
I like the idea of getting some young guys to assist you also, wish I had help with my osage cutting cause it sure would make life alot easier. You will be sore for days afterwards unless your a professional body builder or a triathalon competitor, so you may want to schedule a few days vacation before or after a weekend when you get ready to harvest. Plan ahead with a good sharp chain saw and extra chain, several wedges, pry bar (you will need that!), and a heavy sledge hammer. The pry bar and wedges will be your most valuable tools next to the chainsaw when you get the bar or chain pinched, and it will get pinched trust me on that. Hedge limbs never come off straight when they fall, they always twist one direction or the other and will pinch your saw so tight you have to drive a wedge in there to free the bar. Or carry a spair chainsaw to free the one that's hung up?
You'll see what I'm talking about soon. 

Good Luck.

[osage outlaw]

As Pat mentioned earlier, check the bark for any signs of twist before cutting.  You want a nice straight section without any limbs if possible.  I like to look for trees growing near water sources or at least in lower areas where water drains to.  In my area, they seem to have thicker rings.  I  try to look for younger looking trees that are a decent diamter.  Second growth from stumps that were cut years ago are my favorite.  They are usually straight with thick rings.  Carry a bottle of wood glue with you when you cut them.  As soon as you cut a section out of the tree, cover the ends with plenty of glue.  It won't hurt to put a second coat on once you get them back to the house.  I like to remove the bark and sapwood and then seal them as soon as I can.  I lost a bunch of osage because I didn't do that and the sapwood released from the heartwood and it checked (cracked) all over the back of it.  The sapwood is white so when you start removing the bark, keep going until you hit yellow.  Seal the backs as soon as you get the sapwood off.  Shellac and wood glue are good for sealing it.  Also, if your staves start reflexing too much, you can strap them down to a board or something else to keep them straight.  I have osage staves strapped to my upright posts in my pole barn/garage.  Good luck and be carefull.  Ask questions and post pictures if you need help along the way.

[gstoneberg]

Whoa, if you go the route suggested by OO (removing sapwood immediately) you are are talking about a significant amount of work.  Don't cut too much wood if that's your plan.  I have never gone that route personally, but making bows would be much faster if I did (though processing staves would be much slower.. ).  You do have to do the work at some point ... I just choose to procrastinate.

George

[osage outlaw]

Watching a 10" log worth of osage staves burning because they were ruined changed my way of thinking on leaving the bark and sapwood on.

[BowJunkie]

WOW    It is great to talk to people who have "been there done that"
I will keep all of this in mind,  The upside is I do have all of the tools needed
Thanks for the input guys.

[BowJunkie]

Also. If I do need to remove a lot of sap wood and bark, I could always split out the staves,
then use the band saw to cut till I hit yellow, and then chase a ring with the draw knife,
then reseal the backs and ends once each stave is roughed out.??
Does this sound O.K. to you guys?