I found a distinctly orange/yellow log in the wood pile, and I thought it'd look nice as the riser on my first bow (starting soon). I'd like to know for sure what I'm using first, and the pics and descriptions on the web can sometimes be not so helpful. What do you think I have here?
http://imgur.com/a/TcZPZ
osage
I agree with John.
Looks more like mulberry to me.
I love going through woodpiles. Since I work at people's houses around here. I have been checking out thier wood piles. I have found some great pieces of burl and figured wood that they would burn otherwise.
Without hosting it I say out definitely looks like mulberry.outrage rarely has rings like that and hardly ever shrinks like that when dry.plus it looks like the very early stages of decay witch points to mulberry not Osage
Slice into the belly of that stave and if it is an electric yellow underneath then it is osage or as DVS calls it "Outrage". LOL!!!
looks like mulberry to me.
I would guess Mulberry looking at the bark. Really good bow wood. Dean
QuoteOriginally posted by Osagetree:
Slice into the belly of that stave and if it is an electric yellow underneath then it is osage or as DVS calls it "Outrage". LOL!!!
Outrage...the VERY best bow wood. Seldom found and always searched for. haha
Mulberry
So, 2 for osage, 4 for mulberry. Is there a defining difference between the two? I guess it doesn't matter much for this log, since I can use it for the riser regardless, but it would be useful to be able to distinguish the two in case I ever run across limbs or boards that are bow-length.
the bark looks like mulberry but we dont have osage up here
I'm in for mulberry. The bark looks more like MB than Osage, to me. Both woods would have that inside color with age and exposure to the elements. When you cut into it, the "fresh" wood will be a paler yellow than that of the brighter orange/yellow osage. My humble opinion, of course.
Mullberry for me as well.
I'll vote for mulberry as well. Osage and mulberry are related but not the same...
It's osageberrry; otherwise known as mulsage.
Make your bow 1.5" wide for half the limb and 64" long with a 4" rigid handle and 2" fades for a 28" and 50-60 pounds draw and you will be fine for either. I've grown increasingly more fond of flat bellies.
Yeah I love me some Mulsage! :D
Looks like Mongolian Tulip to me:)
Leave it to Roy. :laughing:
the bark sure looks like osage to me.
I think it is osage that has been split for a little while.
Whatever it is, it has been split for quite a while. 9 months in the pile in my garage and who knows how long before that at the tree service place I bought the wood from.
My votes mallberrie, Osage dos't have that thick of early wood between the rings. Plus those look like perrty wide rings a trate of mallberrie. The barks ruffer the mallberrie and more like osage to different locations ,bark can look different. But those thick early wood rings says mallberrie for sure.
Shave a half inch or so off the end and see what color it is. If its yellow- orange its osage, if its brown its mulberry.
I sliced off the end and it's nice and yellow INSIDE, but outside where it's been exposed to the weather it's brown. Some people describe fresh-cut osage wood as "electric" yellow, but I'd call this a light but prominent yellow, if that makes any sense :-)
I may never know for sure what these logs in my woodpile are, but this thread has been an education. Thanks.
Heres a pic I took a while back that might help you out. Left to right, osage, mulberry , and black locust. The osage is pretty old but I took a fresh slice off the end before I took the pic.
(http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/Jamey_Burkhart/7279dd97.jpg)
The big growth rings and beeswing figuring in the wood remind me more of mulberry than hedge, at least as far as what I've cut here in MO. Here mulberry is also quite a bit less dense than hedge. But its tough to tell for sure, they are related species.
i have built seven mulberry bows in the last 20 years and that is a prime example....jeff
Currently working on my first MB stave, and I think that is what you have. Pretty familiar with Osage, and I just don't think that is it. Bark just doesn't look right.
Looks like bow wood to me.
I'm with Drums... let's build a bow :)
I've got the twin in my dry rack.... Mulberry