Questions on seasoning osage staves

[lukelawrence171]

Just within the past few days I have chopped and split over 45 osage staves but I have some questions on how I should store them.

What is a cheap way to keep the bugs out of the staves ?

Is it safe to store some in my attic?

Would paint work to seal the ends to stop checking?

 Just want to take extra care because the last batch of staves I had got messed up by bugs

[SLIMBOB]

Nice haul!  I don't have any bug problems on my Osage when I store it inside the garage. I don't put anything on it. If it's outside in an open shed I can't spray it often enough to keep the critters off. So I keep it all indoors. I will typically use Elmer's glue to seal the ends. I have used latex paint and various other sealers and most anything that will form a moisture barrier will work.

[Bogaman]

Elmers is good if it's kept in a dry area. I use the waterproof titebond on about everything now. Shelac and paint will work. I know it would be a lot of work with that many staves, but I would peel the bark and sapwood before storing. It'll eliminate most of the pest problems. Like slimbob said, try putting it inside if possible. You're asking for trouble if you store it in a shed. Some attics have wasps in them. They like laying their eggs in staves with bark on them. The larva will bore holes in your wood. I don't like using pesticides so that is one of the reasons I debark and remove the sapwood. I will then also seal the back as well as the ends.

[Eric Krewson]

I am with Bogaman on this one, peeled and sealed its the only way to insure you won't have bug damage. I mix Diazanon spray strong enough to have the EPA come after me when I have staves I don't feel like removing the bark and sapwood from, it keeps bugs at bay most of the time but there are exceptions.

After going crazy cutting osage early on and working one full month debarking and removing sapwood from one pile I cut, I changed my game plan; I never put more osage on the ground than I can split and peel in a few days. Sure makes things a lot easier and I never loose a stave to bugs.

More advice; buy a quart of shellac, best sealer bar none and super easy to scrape off the backs of your staves when you want to make a bow.

Your attic will be too hot this summer to store green staves in, I tried it and lost every stave to cracks. Of course this was an Alabama summer and it gets HOT.

[Pappy]

I'm with the others,peel and seal,not easy but you ask for cheap, I use watered
down wood glue for sealing and it works just fine. After it is seasoned and I get ready to steam or bend I scrap off the glue and seal the back wit polly. Looks like a nice haul.
   Pappy

[Badger]

  That is some valuable wood, I would peel off the sapwood and bark, seal the back and ends. Once you get going it doesn't take all that long.

[lukelawrence171]

Thanks guys , I forgot to mention I also cut down a bunch of mulberry  is there anything you have to do different with those staves

[BOWMAN53]

well the best way to store them is in my closet. lol

[chamookman]

Treat the Mulberry the same as Osage. Bob

[Del the cat]

Send it all the me in the UK , our bugs are far better behaved don'cha know?
Del

[Eric Krewson]

One more thing; If you have thick staves you can split off the bark and sapwood much easier than you can peal it with a draw knife. You might loose a ring or two of heart wood  but it save you a lot of back breaking work.

[lukelawrence171]

thanks again guys ill try a little bit of everything because and see what works best id like to make a few sapwood bows so ill leave a few with the bark on and throw some diesel on the back i heard that works good.

[Hamish]

You will be pretty safe if you roughly axe off the bark then give the backs a couple of good coats with pva glue. Bugs can technically still get in the sapwood but usually don't, if you keep them indoors. Its the bark where the bug's eggs hide.
If you look over the staves once a week or so you can pick up any problems before they get serious, as sapwood is pretty obvious when a bug attacks.

Over time you can either work some staves down to a chosen ring, or sell them off with still healthy sapwood.
                   Hamish.

[Eric Krewson]

Don't leave the sapwood on with the bark off, you will be sorry. I should have taken pictures of all the well sealed sapwood that checked on me over the years. I do have a complete haul under the house with sapwood left on under 4 coats of shellac, all of it checked.

[Pappy]

That is what I have found also Eric,If I remover the bark I always remove the sap wood at the same time. Some folks use the sap wood and I have on really small trees but not unless I have to.
 Pappy