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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: scrub-buster on February 18, 2013, 09:42:00 PM

Title: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: scrub-buster on February 18, 2013, 09:42:00 PM
I needed to cut some osage for the classic and today seemed like the perfect day, low 50's and sunny.  It has been 2 years since the last time I cut any.  I picked out a leaning tree that had a few straight areas in it.  I got 3 logs, a billet length piece, and two nice looking limbs.  On a couple of pieces I can see a wavy pattern to the bark so I hope the grain of the wood is the same.  I also looked around and cut some small but ancient looking trees.  They are hard as a rock and have the dark color to them.  I think the trees died a long time ago and they have just been aging gracefully.  I'm trying to study the trees to learn what the wood is going to be like inside.  

 (http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20CLINT-HP/New%20bow%20stuff/SDC15375.jpg)

I don't know if you can see the wavy bark pattern in this picture.  Sometimes things just don't show up in a photo.

 (http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20CLINT-HP/New%20bow%20stuff/SDC15376.jpg)

The two pieces on the left are the old trees.  The one has rings like Yew.

 (http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20CLINT-HP/New%20bow%20stuff/SDC15377.jpg)


After I got all those cut and sealed my Dad came home and helped me drag them out with his utility truck.  Everything went so easy and quick that we decided to cut one more log out of a tree that fell across one of our trails.  We looked it over and decided to undercut it so it wouldn't pinch the saw.  We misread the tree and quickly had the saw stuck.  It took us an hour and a half to get that thing loose.  I think we were on plan D by the time we got it out.  After that we cut that one section free and headed for the house.

I'm not sure a 14" homelite is intended to cut some of the things I tackle with it.  Maybe next year Santa will bring me a bigger saw.

 (http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20CLINT-HP/New%20bow%20stuff/SDC15379.jpg)


My Dad let me store them in his garage for the next couple of months.

 (http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20CLINT-HP/New%20bow%20stuff/SDC15381.jpg)
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: fujimo on February 18, 2013, 09:58:00 PM
get the bark off'n the wavey one- lets see it!!!!
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Buxndiverdux on February 18, 2013, 10:04:00 PM
Nice!
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Pat B on February 18, 2013, 10:50:00 PM
That wavy stuff looks promising.
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Pat B on February 18, 2013, 10:51:00 PM
Heck, it all looks good, Clint!
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: mwosborn on February 18, 2013, 11:06:00 PM
Nice harvest Scrub.  Love the smell of fresh cut wood!
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Osagetree on February 19, 2013, 05:04:00 AM
:goldtooth:
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: TimBoA on February 19, 2013, 09:45:00 AM
Nice haul!  Your Dad may have a bit of trouble backing his car out for the next couple of months..
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: David Flanrey on February 19, 2013, 10:25:00 AM
Scrub,
I am sooooo jealous.  We have almost no osage very close.  That wavey log looks wicked!  Those are some huge rings.  

I better stop looking.  :biglaugh:
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: scrub-buster on February 19, 2013, 10:32:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by TimBoA:
Nice haul!  Your Dad may have a bit of trouble backing his car out for the next couple of months..
That car hasn't moved in 15 years.  The license plate is from 1998.  I don't think he will be driving it any time soon.
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Black Mockingbird on February 19, 2013, 11:09:00 AM
Did ya write my name on that log yet    :bigsmyl:    :pray:
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: scrub-buster on February 19, 2013, 03:31:00 PM
IT'S WIGGLY!!!

I split the short piece in half to see if the bark was telling the truth.  It only took me a few swings of the hammer to get my answer.  I honestly didn't notice the bark was like that until after I had cut it.  When I picked out the tree I made sure it wasn't twisted but never noticed the wiggly pattern.

(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20CLINT-HP/New%20bow%20stuff/SDC15386.jpg)


(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20CLINT-HP/New%20bow%20stuff/SDC15389.jpg)
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Troy D. Breeding on February 19, 2013, 03:37:00 PM
Oh yea!!! Those are going to be some nice snakie staves.
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Osagetree on February 19, 2013, 03:38:00 PM
That is wild ~~~~~~~~~~~
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: scrub-buster on February 19, 2013, 03:43:00 PM
Its a new one for me Joe.  I have never split any wood like it.
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Roy from Pa on February 19, 2013, 04:20:00 PM
Clint ya gonna be home tomorrow? I'm on my way:) Nice sage dude.
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: scrub-buster on February 19, 2013, 04:26:00 PM
I'll be home and well armed Roy    :archer:
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Roy from Pa on February 19, 2013, 04:31:00 PM
Shucks. Well when do ya gotta work? :)
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Black Mockingbird on February 19, 2013, 04:56:00 PM
You better lock your doors....you better hide that where no one else can find it....cause you need to keep that safe from folks like me   :saywhat:
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: 2treks on February 19, 2013, 06:30:00 PM
Another 20-30 years and it will look like this.

Mine is ruff now but a few staves and billets have been had.

Yours is sweet looking Scrub.

 (http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt12/twotracks/P1010933.jpg)

 (http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt12/twotracks/P1010934.jpg)

 (http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt12/twotracks/P1010935.jpg)

 (http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt12/twotracks/P1010937.jpg)
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Frosty the Bowman on February 25, 2013, 12:10:00 PM
Man that is some cool wood.

never seen such a wiggly piece of wood before, cant wait till you can get that stuff going, wanna see more.

P.S. Roy and the rest anint got no clue how to find me, you can store it at my house, I'll only charge ya 2 staves  :laughing:
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: fujimo on February 25, 2013, 11:03:00 PM
AAAWWWWsum!!!
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: DEATHMASTER on February 26, 2013, 01:27:00 PM
That one has some huge rings. I would love someday to get a piece like that to make a NICE osage bow from to hunt with.
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Osagetree on March 06, 2013, 04:47:00 AM
Twotracks,

Nice animal and I am so glad I came back to check this thread.

Wow,,, thats some old sage! Appears to be no sapwood on the exterior? Can you see it there?

Srub, did you ever skin yours?
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: 2treks on March 06, 2013, 06:12:00 AM
Thanks Joe,
Thats my ole Burrdock dog. 100% wild critter he is.
That log was given to me by a good friend. It has been around for a good long while and has lost its bark and sapwood years ago. Lots of check to deal with but I think some bow wood might be in there yet.
My friend Matt has a stick of it and maybe he will be along to cuss me for giving it to him. If a bow can be had out of it tho, Matt will find it.
I have some other logs from the same lot, old and weathered. I have managed some nice staves and billets out of them. Lots of extra work but the wood is 20+ years old and makes a fine bow.

CTT
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on March 06, 2013, 01:10:00 PM
I think I may recognize that wood Chuck?
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: scrub-buster on March 06, 2013, 01:19:00 PM
Joe, I split one of the full length logs and it has the wiggly grain down the entire length.  I've been busy trying to finish some bows and the weather hasn't been the greatest lately.  I'm hoping to split the rest in half soon.
Title: Re: Wiggly Osage harvest
Post by: Osagetree on March 06, 2013, 04:15:00 PM
Oh,,, I can see bows in them...

You guy's will make some nice bows from it - I'm sure of that!

How's the rings? What was it used for,, why did he hang on to it so long? Left over fence post material or something?

Sorry but those things interest me