Is $10/bdft too much to pay for reasonably clean quarter sawn 5/4 Osage?

Got a chance to buy about 15bdft but need to act pretty fast.

Making board bows as usual, although it's 3 live edge boards so there might be some ELBs in there too.

Figure out how many bows you can get out of the board and divide the cost to see what each will cost.

~4-5/board I would assume ... maybe up to 7 ... so 12-21 bows so $7.50-$12.50/bow

but is that a good market price or is it high?

No i take that back ... for tri-lams I think I can get at least 8/board maybe more ....... if I use 3/16"-1/4" belly lams

No i take that back ... for tri-lams I think I can get at least 8/board maybe more ....... if I use 3/16"-1/4" belly lams

If it is 2 6'*12" boards @ 5/4 is roughly 15 bdft. If you can re-saw that into 1/2" slats, that is 12 slats per board at 2" wide. Say 20 slats with some wastage. So you are looking at $7 per bow. Take a couple of ELB out of it and you would be at maybe $10 per bow. Just some quick math but seems like a good deal. So long as you can re-saw it.

Yeah they're 6" wide x 8ft, 3 boards. but the math is similar since I cut all my lams 36" or less and then splice. Probably gonna scoop that up.

Ben the formula is length x width x thickness (4/4) equals 1 inch. All in inches
Divided by 144.

Your board is 4 board feet if one inch thick.
Sounds like a good deal especially if all usable.

Send the address Ben, I'll go buy them. A set of 36" board billets cost $40.00 plus shipping. But since your such a nice guy, send them to me and I'll make them into billets and lams for ya for nutten. Let Canopy boy drop them off at my place.

if the wood looks good and you can be fairly sure it isn't going to dry quick and crack... BUY IT! BUY IT NOW!....


..so you buy it yet?


lol

I recently got 26 osage boards that average 1" or more thick, 8' long, 6" wide for $150. It was cut in 1994 and stored indoors since then.

What's that figure out to? $1.44 a board foot? How'd I do? :^)

!!! You guys tick me off!!!

lol...

Good finds guys!

Considering that I pay $75 for a 6' long 5/8" by 2" board, I'd say you did ok on that deal, Jeff.    

Osage is a non-standard item and most mills won't even cut it. There is no established price that I'm aware of.

All good points! I think you did good Jeff.

Ended up buying just under 15 bdft for $150. It'll be alot of bows, and maybe some super heavy arrow shafts if I got crazy. Have some mulberry that's too short for bows that may also become arrows when I find the time.

Note to self ... Stop buying wood and save for pickup truck ... Audi TT is not adapted for transporting wood or deer ...

LMAO Ben. Was just telling someone yesterday about the time I hauled a dead buck in a Volkswagon Scirraco  

I use heavy hickory shafts almost exclusively, and have often wondered about making osage arrow shafts. Maybe now I'll try it.

I cut a lot of Osage for my folks. I've recently decided to try my hand at building bows. I've read through the first volume of The Traditional Bowyers Bible so I know what staves are desirable but I'd like to what one of these boards mentioned in this thread look like if anyone could post a pic. I'd like to see what you all consider reasobly clean in a larger piece. Thanks

Here are two lams out of very clean Osage.
 

Here is the grain I prefer, 1/4 sawn..

Roy what width do you build at with osage?

1 1/4 at flares to 1/2 at tips.