cutting osage today

[yazoo]

do you think there is a bow in this stave,,I cut all day today in the rain and lighting,,I found some really dense osage today,, this photo  the rings are 5/8 and very dense,,I also cut one tree today with rings just over 1in thick,,clean and no knots,,I am going to take camper to osage woods monday and I am not comming home till I cut a 1000,,I am in need of a helper, someone who works real hard for low pay

[Josh]

...if only I had the time off work Mike I'd be there to help... I would work for staves though...   

[George Tsoukalas]

Oh my that is quite am osage tree. I wish I could help but my heavy lifting days are over. Jawge

[yazoo]

I know what you mean I hit 40 last year and Its going down hill

[DanaM]

Damn Mike ifin I was free I would work for a percentage in staves and food

[FlintWalker]

 That looks like nice stuff there.
 You've done got me wanting to go lay one on the ground now   I need to cut at least one good tree this spring in order to keep a good supply of seasoned wood.   
   

[DanaM]

That looks like nice stuff there.
 You've done got me wanting to go lay one on the ground now   I need to cut at least one good tree this spring in order to keep a good supply of seasoned wood.   
   

Don't forget yer friends eh

[cowboy]

Those are some nice rings!! Got me wantin to go cuttin too .

[yazoo]

better hurry the sap is comming up ,,quick here in middle tn

[Dean Marlow]

Those are some nice ringed Osage logs. I know what you mean about going down hill. I hired a young fellow to help me this spring to cut Osage and he could do more in a day than I can do in 4 days. I am 56 now and it sure shows. Going to go look at some Osage tomorrow that has been already cut. Hope it is worth the trip. Dean

[yazoo]

I have found out that people who cut osage that dont make bows, dont turn out so well,,lots of people think you find a osage tree cut it ,,I spent 6hrs going from tree to tree, yesterday looked at hundreds of trees,and I cut 2, one good tree in a day of walking is a good day,,because I dont settle for trashey wood,,

[FlintWalker]

How many times have you heard, "I got more bodock than ye can ever make bows out of". Only to find the landowner has exactly ZERO trees that fit the bill.   Most people who've never cut any don't realise what goes into it.

[George Tsoukalas]

yazoo, I agree with what you said about tree choice. In my early days I didn't know good black locust from bad (no osage in NH).  Hence my 14 tries before a shooter. I gotta say tough at this stage of my life I'd pass on that monster but your're still young. Jawge

[yazoo]

my splitting set up,,the v notched blocks lets me split at waist level saves the back on a long day splitting,,standing up is some war bow staves 85in and clean,,

[yazoo]

notice the bandsaw outside,best dust control idea ever,,I stole the idea from pappy,,though when the temp was 5 a foot of snow It was rough