Second Osage harvest (with pics)

[Gsulfridge]

[IMG]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y406

My second harvest was a little different than my first.  I got three logs today and they looked really good. I soon realized that doesn't tell thee whole story. Because the logs were straight, I assumed nice straight staves. Boy, was I wrong! I'm not sure if they're usable at all. Chime in and let me know whatcha think. Some are 90 degree twists.

[Gsulfridge]

Here is the rings on one log. I was chomping at the bit

[Gsulfridge]

One last pic. Are these salvageable?

[blackhawk]

Nice ring ratio and dark too...nice..... .....I've made bows from osage n locust staves with 90 degree twist ..no problems straightening n are great shooters....if you don't want em and think its too much ill take em cus it nice wood...I don't mind dealing with twist with dark nice rings

[Gsulfridge]

Hey Blackhawk,
 Are you going to be at the TN Classic this year? If so, I will bring these staves. Having never dealt with Osage or twist before, I'm a little intimidated.

[blackhawk]

Yup..ill be there....as will many other cagey seasoned osage vets    just make yourself some more bows and by the time there seasoned and ready to go so will you ...reduce one or two of those down so they'll be dry enough to work for the classic and ill show ya how to wrestle a stave like that into submission....it really isn't that hard with osage because it responds to heat and corrects better than any other wood

[Gsulfridge]

That's good to know 'hawk. So you think I can rough some out and they'd be ready by May? I don't have a hot box.

[Badly Bent]

Twisted or not I don't believe I've ever had osage with both rings and color as nice as that, you gottcha some nice stuff there.

[blackhawk]

Chase a ring leaving mostly patchy early growth over a chosen ring,seal it with shellac..lay out a bow but leave the limbs full width,cut it out,then reduce it to where it bends a few inches on the floor,then just let em sit inside at 40-50% RH in 60-70 degrees....and they'll be more than ready come may....no hot box required. Just keep an eye on them n make sure there not checking anywhere as there drying..the first few weeks after reducing will be the most crucial time for checking issues.

[osage outlaw]

Nice haul.  Twist isn't hard at all to get out with a heatgun.  Looks like a lot of bows there.

[okie64]

Those are some beautiful rings! Heating that twist outta osage will be pretty easy, a heat gun and crescent wrench will work wonders on it.

[Gsulfridge]

Thanks for the info and encouragement guys!  I feel a lot better now I was beginning to think I had wasted a half day with a bow saw.

[steve b.]

Umm, wow, on those growth rings.  Those twists are my kind of adventure.

[gstoneberg]

I agree with the guys.  Twist is one of the easiest types of problem to deal with in osage.  Much easier than if the tree had a bend in it so you'd have to bend a limb sideways.  That looks like very nice wood, should make good bows.

George

[rps3]

I want to frame that picture with the rings in it and hang it in my shop.