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Author Topic: Monster osage tree finished....final stave count  (Read 61351 times)

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Offline Stingray45

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #135 on: August 23, 2011, 01:34:09 pm »
You should make those staves a little wider. Make sure you come in around 68 total.  ;D
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Is there anything better than wandering the earth with a stick and string in your hand?

Offline billy bowmaker

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #136 on: August 23, 2011, 09:04:03 pm »
insane.  to think how much it is just to ship one of those damn sticks up to Canada...

great find man, and good for you to do the work required.... and lucky you had some help!
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Offline soy

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #137 on: August 25, 2011, 03:58:16 am »
That is getting the most out of every last bit.good for you! Sorry I insulated you with such a low guess ;D
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Is this bow making a sickness? or the cure...

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #138 on: August 25, 2011, 04:20:41 pm »
Man, if your sealing with that much poly over and over, ya better be wearing a mask. Them solvents like naphtha are carcinogenic as heck.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline MWirwicki

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #139 on: August 25, 2011, 11:43:46 pm »
Those splits are beee-utes!  Jeeez, you couldn't get any straighter, especially for osage.  Great, rare find!
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Matt Wirwicki
Owosso, MI

Offline billy bowmaker

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #140 on: August 26, 2011, 11:36:01 pm »
Good point about the fumes.  I wonder why you are sealing the bellies?  The belly wood on a good thick 2x2 like you are making is the #1 escape route for moisture during the drying process.  If you seal the back, the ends, and the belly, then where's the water gonna go? 

That aside, i am as envious as possible about your osage haul.  Awesome.
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Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #141 on: August 26, 2011, 11:47:52 pm »
Some one a few pages back suggested sealing the bellies to prevent them from checking. I have been lightly sealing them all.  I think the sealer is to slow down the moisture loss, not stop it completely.  I have been doing it outside and inside my garage with all the doors and windows open so there is a constant flow of air through it.  I'm halfway through my 3rd can of polyurethane.  I need someone at Lowes to smash some more cans so I can get them cheaper ;)

All of this splitting and drawknifing is sure helping the guns ;D

Total is up to 38 staves. 
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I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline frankg

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #142 on: August 27, 2011, 12:13:10 am »
By time yer done you'll have Popeye arms  ;D ;D
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South of Klamath Falls OR , North of Calif border .

Offline gstoneberg

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #143 on: August 27, 2011, 01:28:34 am »
I've never sealed an osage stave's belly.  The only belly cracks I've ever had to deal with came in from the stave ends, down from the back or were weather checks from damage to the tree.  I think you could save some time and money just spraying the backs and ends.  I've been using shellac lately which I found in spray cans at Lowes as a sealer.  I like it much better than poly, I've had staves crack through poly on the back.

George
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St Paul, TX

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #144 on: August 27, 2011, 10:21:45 am »
It would cost me a furtune to use the spray cans.  I have been using a brush to put a couple of super thick layers of poly on the backs.  I would prefer to use shellac, but I have been able to get the poly cheaper.  It doesn't get quite as hot and dry here as it does down where your at George.  Hopefully they won't crack on me.   
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I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #145 on: August 27, 2011, 10:48:45 am »
I've never sealed the bellys on osage, or any wood for that matter. I would rather it check on the belly than any other place on it. I have had osage bellys check, but never anything that ever effected the bow I was making after reducing it down some. I thought you wanted the moisture to go out threw the belly. I think whats most important is to store the staves in a nice cool place for the first 4 months.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #146 on: August 27, 2011, 11:33:23 am »
Some of the staves are splitting with the growth rings very nicely.  They are very flat and smooth on the bellies.  I could see them splitting very easy there.  I'm just doing all I can to make sure all of my work doesn't "check" away.  I am going to keep the staves in my little insulated workshop until at least next spring.
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I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline hatcha

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #147 on: August 27, 2011, 02:16:59 pm »
Quote from: osage outlaw on August 22, 2011, 09:51:12 pm
Update:

32 staves peeled and sealed, plus a few billets. 

I have split 9 of the chunks up into staves.  There are still 14 chunks left to split

With those figures, you're heading towards 81.77777 staves...(not counting billets)  Sooooo close to my guess!!!

Quote from: osage outlaw on August 22, 2011, 09:51:12 pm
and one more section of the tree to get out of the valley. 

You couldn't just "leave it where it is" and focus on trimming the 81.77777 back down to 80 could you?  ;);) ;D
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Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #148 on: September 29, 2011, 05:18:48 pm »
Between work, soccer games, and trying to get ready for bow season to open, I haven't had a lot of time to work on the osage tree.  But, I find a little time here and there.  I am up to 56 staves including a couple with some character.  I also have 6 smaller staves in the 4' range that I am not counting.  If the rain holds off, I hope to get the last section out of the woods Monday.

I'm running out of room to put them.

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I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline Stingray45

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Re: Harvesting a monster osage tree
« Reply #149 on: September 29, 2011, 05:28:56 pm »
Come on 13 more......

If you run out of room, let me know and I'll PM you my address.  >:D

~Barry
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Is there anything better than wandering the earth with a stick and string in your hand?
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