Found a perfect Osage log while walking today....selfbow or no?

[highpoint forge]

To selfbow or not to selfbow, that is the question.....sorry for the repost:

Snowy and 20F out today...perfect day to get out and walk......I glanced off the trail and see an Osage limb about 12" thick and 8' long exactly laying to the side of the trail. It was trimmed by the city.  I see the bend in it, but I was thinking I should split it into quarters and take it home. What do the experts say? It has minimal checking in one section, that's it. The other end has barely any checking at all.

DONOR TREE:

   

AS IT LAYS:

   

ONE END:

   


OTHER END:

   

My thought is hand split it into quarters and season it indoors with the bark off. I'll run woodglue on the ends to seal it. With the checking present at one end, do I need to split it up in a certain fashion to avoid the checked part?

[KellyG]

that long and you could just cut the ends off and reseal. heck yes what find, almost better than a lottery.

[formerbutcher]

Take it, split it with the checks if you take the bark off make sure to seal the back.

Nice find !

[highpoint forge]

OK so leave the bark on. No need to screw with that. I'm going to go split it in a bit and just not be in a hurry. I'm lacking wedges.....time to get creative. I have some 2x6s that I could make into wedges......

Short of bringing all the bugs in it indoors with me, can it cure in my garage?

[Pat B]

In your garage will be fine. Stack it on some 2x4 to keep it off the concrete. If you leave the bark on spray it with insecticide to kill any critters tha might be overwintering in the bark.  Can you get the doner tree too? Looks ugly like it is.

[KellyG]

Pat you mean missing a limb?

[1oldbowguy]

  Very nice find but if you need a place to keep it, you can use my place!!!      

[Pat B]

Kelly, it is missing more than a limb. It is missing it's crown. d;^)  I wouldn't call this piece of osage a limb. It is the upper portion of the trunk. The bottom portion of the trunk is still attached to the roots as it appears in the top pic.

[highpoint forge]

My home made wedges failed. I couldn't get them to stay intact! They all broke. Plan B. Find some real wedges. The trunk is on a public trail with no vehicle access, otherwise I'd haul the log home intact with some manpower. This thing is HEAVY.

[highpoint forge]

Looks like Northern tool has forged steel wedges and a forged steel maul for about $30 combined. I'll take a second run at it tomorrow AM. Gotta go to work........

[TroutGuide]

If I didnt have my son(too cold to drag him out right now) I would drive over and help you.  I have a maul, and hatchet but no wedges yet.  Good luck with it.

[Osagetree]

 White pine VS Osage Orange    

I was going to ask how that went!

I do see several bows in your pics and would not pass it up.

[Flyboy718]

If you have a harbor freight in your area you might be able to get some wedges and a maul cheaper or even a sledge.

[highpoint forge]

White pine -5

Osage 5


Osage is the winner....

Thanks for the offer Brian!

[H8nonCubs]

No doubt. You don't stand half a chance w/o some good wedges. Again awesome find, that's exactly how we got some of our staves.

[DVSHUNTER]

Hush up Chris. Nobodys supposed to know about our "stolen staves". :-)

[Osagetree]

Wood Rustler's!

[razorback]

I think it is more a creative reallocation of natural resources, for the greater good.  

PatB I don't think the rest of the tree is ugly more likely it is just jealous of where its other half is going.

[Pat B]

I guess ugly was the wrong word. More like out of place or lonely! d;^)

[Stiks-n-Strings]

If it was me I would be going after all of it even if I had to pack it out one split at a time.

Pat it definetly looks out of place and lonely.