Osage Logs--only shellac?

[Comancheria]

Need some advice.  I have a lead on some Osage--one reported to be a 4 inch sapling. The other, "...a big tree..."  It may pan out--it may not.  If it does, it may be the greatest wood since Quanah Parker bought a Winchester--or it may be firewood.  Trouble is, if the tree or trees are harvested, I cannot be there--too far away and my cousin has sole access.  If he does get permission,  will tell him to take the trunks straight across, close to the ground, and to cut as many straight trunks and limbs as possible, but I won't be able to split any of it for at least a month.

Dean Torges's book says to use shellac on the ends.  I cannot talk with Dean--so I ask you all: would a huge swath of wood glue do in the place of shellac?

Thanks,

Riss

[wizardgoat]

Glue, paint, shellac anything. I use watered down wood glue in a 2 gallon bucket.
just dip them right in

[randman]

Wood glue would work, as would latex paint or primer or varnish or hot wax or tar or anything to seal it and keep the ends from giving off moisture too fast. Paint would be the cheapest way to go on the ends of big logs I would think and if you own a house like I do then you already have half empty cans of paint just sittin around....use whatever you got. Use 2 coats if it sucks it up.

[Comancheria]

Thanks, Goat.  That's what I thought but wanted to be safe.  My yahoo cousin is a good old boy from East Texas.  He is firing up the chain saw tonight just in case, and he has a bunch of Elmer's Glue but no shellac.  He is far enough from the Louisiana border that he was able to become the first one in our family to learn to read 😳, but I ain't takin' no unnecessary chances!

Best regards,

Russ

[Comancheria]

My thanks to you as well, Randman.  Also, while I'm thinking about it, am I correct in assuming that clear oil-based polyurethane do for logs?

Is a month or so before splitting going to hurt?  I do know to leave the bark on.

[osage outlaw]

It won't hurt to leave them for a month.  You will probably get a few checks on the ends so have him cut the logs a little longer if possible.  70"-80" is what I try for if the tree allows.  Ask him to look it over real good after he drops it.  Tell him to try to get the straightest limb/knot free sections that he can.  Does he know how to read the bark?  If the bark twists around the tree as it goes up the grain in the wood will probably do the same and the stave will take a lot of work to get straight.  If the bugs are still out in his area he might want to spray the logs with some insect repellent to keep the borers out of them.  Post some pictures of his haul if he can. 

It might not hurt to do a search on here for osage log pictures.  If you could send him a picture of what you are looking for it would probably help him out.  Non bowyers don't look at trees the same way that bowyers do.   If you can't find any osage log pictures let me know and I can probably find one or two for you 

[Comancheria]

Thanks, Outlaw.  No, he won't have a clue about reading the wood.  Hell, I barely do.  But I have already counseled him that, if in doubt, take as much length as possible, keep anything 4 inches or over, and paint everything on the ends liberally.  The leaves are still on the trees down where he is and even the fruit, I would imagine.  I will have him go over them with a can of Raid as well.

Hope this all works out.  If it does, I will post pictures of the wood, and good idea about sending h
some photos.  If it doesn't, I will just say "never mind".

Best regards,

Russ

[Comancheria]

Hopefully, my last question on this thread: last night, I went ahead and read the first half of "Hunting  the Osage Bow" by Dean Torges--not because I am going to build one right away, but just so I willnot miss anything with regard to early steps in treating the wood.

Torges seems to routinely steam and bend Osage staves EARLY in the process.  He states that doing so later, when the wood has dried out, will weaken the wood--and that sounds logical to my uneducated ear.  Now we get into my assumptions:

First, I am assuming from my reading that It is a simple fact that most Osage staves require some form of correction.  Second, that he personally wants to build reflex into every bow.

Is reflex really REQUIRED for Osage?  I see that many people do build it in.

What I would like to do, if it's OK, is split any wood I may get (still a
Big maybe) into quarters, debark,  paint liberally, and put away until I am ready--no immediate need for steaming or dry boxes.

[osage outlaw]

That's the way I do it.  Cut, seal ends, split, remove bark and sapwood seal the back, put away to season.  I do all the heat corrections as I'm building the bow from dry seasoned wood.  You can still steam bend if you want.  Make a bow with no reflex and one with a few inches of reflex and see which one you like better 

[Comancheria]

Thanks, Outlaw.  So you seal the ends and the back only?  Not the rough part of the split on the belly side?

Also, do you just halve the log or quarter it for seasoning?

[osage outlaw]

I just seal the ends and back when I remove the sapwood.  I usually put 3 coats on it.  You can split it however you want.  I try to split a log into staves after I cut it as long as I have the time.  If I can't get to it I'll halve or quarter it and come back to it later.  If you split it into smaller staves soon after cutting it can warp or twist a little as it dries.  Big beefy staves usually stay put.

Check this link out.  It might answer some of your questions.

www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,27170.0.html

[Comancheria]

Thanks, Outlaw.  You have answered all my questions and I will check out the link.  Also, in doing my homework, I neglected to remember there is a pretty thorough treatment of dealing with Osage in Volume 1 of TBB.  I had skipped over this since it is my intention to start out with a couple of board bows.  But when the possibility of getting my hands on some Osage came up, my anxiety heightened due to the fact that I don't want to have the tree cut and let it ruin.  I know under these circumstances the wood may not be usable, and I hesitate asking for it to be cut for that reason.

[DC]

Thanks for posting that link OO. I've heard a lot about the "monster osage". It was nice reading about it.

[osage outlaw]

No problem DC.  I can't believe that it has been 3 years ago.

[Comancheria]

Well, I am not that impressed.  Hell's Bells--anyone can chop down a bunch of wooden bows.  Earlier, I in the other hand, looked out my back window and saw what might look like 23 deer to someone else, but I know to be 92 prime leg tendons.  Unfortunately, my small city frowns on fully automatic fire.😄

Seriously, Outlaw, that was a real treasure find.  I congratulate you.  Oh, and thanks for the advice!

Russ