Boiling in oil....

[episaacs]

While wrestling with just how best to heat and bend some of my more challenging staves, I looked at my turkey fryer and VOILA!   I think I'm going to try boiling some hedge and/or yew in peanut oil in order to bend it.  Theoretically will get the wood much hotter without imparting too much moisture or drying too much.  Or, am I off in lala land on this one?

[Pat B]

Heat is what allows wood to bend. The vehicle is that only, the carrier. I would be very careful if the wood has any moisture in it. Moisture and boiling oil don't mix!     You can still dry the wood out too much in boiling oil if left in too long. The same as with a turkey. To me, it seen like more effort than it's worth and it is potentially dangerous.  Just rub some of the oil on the limb and use the heating element to heat it for bending.      Pat

[episaacs]

Thanks for the feedback Pat.  I'm boiling the stave right now, heat gun at the ready

[330bull]

Be sure to inject the staves with either soy suace or spicey cajun before dipping.  Heck maybe even a dry rub woudl look nice too.   

[DanaM]

I think a nice chipotle and garlic rub would go nice with Osage, hmm wonder how many minutes per pound for Osage.
Maybe Greg would know he's the resident expert on cooking Osage

[tom sawyer]

I think you'd want a marinade for osage, its pretty tough stuff.

The whole process sounds so Medieval!

How are you going to get the oil off when you want to finish it?  Guess you could use an oil finish without having to remove it.

[Gordon]

I hope you have a fire extinguisher around 

[Justin Snyder]

I think boiling oil will destroy the wood cells.  Lilly

[GregB]

Lily, I think I would save the fryer for fish and turkey!

Maybe Greg would know he's the resident expert on cooking Osage

The longer you boil the better with osage due to its toughness, just make sure you don't run out of water! I have a great osage and dumplin's recipe if any of you want it...if you don't mine your dumplin's turning yellow.