got a lot of osage + a question about it...

[nsherve]

There was a tree, part of which fell over on a church grave sight that the preacher let me clean up. I got 14 logs out of it. Some are kinda bent and twisted (the latter don't look too bad). I haven't split all of it yet, especially the big one. Most of the ones I have split seem to not have a lot of knots in them. He just called me yesterday asking me to cut the rest of that tree down, so that'll be three more trunks from that tree. The biggest one is about 1.5ft across. He also asked me to cut down the other two trees that are nearby. It seems I'll have quite a bit of splitting over this winter to take care of. I've been wanting to try osage out. The ones I've had were/are all knotted up, twisted and crooked pretty bad, so I haven't done much with it.

Can anyone tell me how you split/cut out the staves from the center? (If that question makes sense...) It seems I would be able to get quite a bit more staves out of the tree if I can do that.

[Eric Krewson]

Like this, your core may pop cleanly away but often is will jump a few rings as you progress down the stave so leave yourself some wiggle room and don't try to get too many splits off a stave. I start the split with old screwdrivers to get right on a ring side to side and follow up with wood or metal wedges.

[osage outlaw]

Make sure to seal the ends of the logs.  Split them in half and then half again.  Keep doing that until you get them down to stave size.  Pop the belly splits off like Eric's pictures.  If you get any belly splits seal the backs of those.   If you remove the sapwood seal the backs.  I use multiple coats of tight bond wood glue.  Post some pictures of your haul. 

[nsherve]

Thanks, I'll try that. I had tried a froe once, but it just foxtrotted it up. If I get a rountoit, or memberit after I cut down and up these other trees, I'll put up some pics. I haven't sealed the ends of any of these yet, but (knock on wood) none of them have started to crack/split. They still have bark and sapwood on them, other than what tore off when splitting.

[Pat B]

You have 2 experienced osage harvesters answering your question. Follow their suggestions and you will have a lot of good osage staves.
Do post pics. Some of what you might call trash would be treasures for others.

[bradsmith2010]

cool

[Badger]

Thanks, I'll try that. I had tried a froe once, but it just foxtrotted it up. If I get a rountoit, or memberit after I cut down and up these other trees, I'll put up some pics. I haven't sealed the ends of any of these yet, but (knock on wood) none of them have started to crack/split. They still have bark and sapwood on them, other than what tore off when splitting.

   What state are you in??

[nsherve]

Alabama

[Badger]

     Maybe you could organize a work party and split up some of the wood. I don't know if we have anyone here local to your part of the country or not but it might be worth looking at.

[nsherve]

There may be, but everyone around here who asks what I've been doing is surprised when I tell them I'm working on bows. I like splitting the wood, and it's something for my son to help with outside of the house. I'm a stay-at-home-dad for now...changing the baby's diapers and feeding her and such, so the weekend's bout the only time I get to spend outside (that's where I prefer to be) till she's old enough to roll in the mud.

[nsherve]

...but, folks are welcome to come by if they want to. In Marengo county.

[Badger]

  Sounds like you are still young and strong. You may not need any help

[nsherve]

Depends what you mean by young and strong...I've fallen out of a lot of birds  , hit my head on/in ice, carried close to my body weight long distances, and stayed awake for a few days, etc...then retired and sat in one place for hours at a new job. Then got hurt again...my body's not 24 anymore  .

[Eric Krewson]

Where in Bama?

[nsherve]

Marengo county