Osage orange trees?

[Omega]

All I see is a bunch of duck calls.

Let me know what to cut and if you want to pick up or pay for shipment I will send you what you want. I have plenty left to cut from my side, the other tree is now overgrowing the other side of the fence and needs to be trimmed back. Bet these would make good critter callers too.

 

[mountain chiro]

If possible, look for a couple of good trees that are in thicker woods. They'll have to compete for sunlight that way, and will grow longer trunk sections before having limbs sprouting.

Look for minimum bark twist, or "barber poling", that way the stave doesn't propeller and twist as much when you're splitting it. A clear, clean six foot trunk section is optimum for bows.

I prefer 12-16" diameter trees if I have a choice, but I'm happy to get whatever size that I can handle. Try for staves that are three inches wide across the bark. When you're splitting the log out for staves, use a thin axe like an Eastwing, or as thin a wedge as you can find, to start your splits. Some bowyers grind a "starter wedge" down just for that purpose, then alternate regular wedges down the length of the log, using your axe to gently clear interlocking grain and splinters.

If you try starting your split with a fat wedge, you can lose teeth when it bounces back toward your face.

As soon as you have a stack of staves, use some type of sealant on the ends. I prefer wood glue. That will keep the staves from end splitting, or "checking" as it's known. Find a place to stack them out of the weather and sun, with good air circulation.

A word to the wise. Keep them off the ground. Wood borers will eat them alive and ruin your hard work.

This is good info, thanks. I've heard people use pesticide to keep their staves from having the bugs get to them. You ever try that?

 

[GUNNERX2]

Let me know what to cut and if you want to pick up or pay for shipment I will send you what you want. I have plenty left to cut from my side, the other tree is now overgrowing the other side of the fence and needs to be trimmed back. Bet these would make good critter callers too.

That's a kind gesture, I don't make duck calls but was referring to those that do. That could be a source for a few extra bucks if you wanted to fool with it.

 

[Lost Lake]

This is good info, thanks. I've heard people use pesticide to keep their staves from having the bugs get to them. You ever try that?

Yes. I don't do that these days, but Borate will help with that.

It should stop the Wood Wasp and Powder Post Beetles too.

 

[Lost Lake]

This is good info, thanks. I've heard people use pesticide to keep their staves from having the bugs get to them. You ever try that?

Depending on the number of bows you want to make, you can try removing the bark from the staves after 2-3 months of air-drying with the bark on. What's needed is for the wood to stabilize ( at about 13% moisture content here in the humid East ) before bark and sapwood removal, getting down to good yellow wood, then coating the whole back of the stave with wood glue. That'll prevent checking along the back, as there'll still be enough moisture left in the wood to cause some cracking if left unsealed.

The bark and sapwood is where the borers and beetles live, and getting it off after stabilization will stop most problems. Back when I made an obscene number of bows, I'd keep around 200 staves on hand, and I'd just leave the bark on and take my chances, and as long as the wood never touched the ground, I lost very little of it.

But, it depends on how many staves you have. If it's a half dozen or so, it's not as big a deal and as much work. It'll also help the drying process by getting the bark and sapwood off, as you'll want to air dry them for about a year minimum before making a bow. You'll be trying for a stave that's dried to about 9% moisture content when making your bow.

 

[SC Manimal]

Or Hedgeapple…

I'd like some wood for turkey calls. That's the hardest wood in North America.

I could get you enough for some turkey calls. Nothing long and straight enough for a bow.

 

[mountain chiro]

Depending on the number of bows you want to make, you can try removing the bark from the staves after 2-3 months of air-drying with the bark on. What's needed is for the wood to stabilize ( at about 13% moisture content here in the humid East ) before bark and sapwood removal, getting down to good yellow wood, then coating the whole back of the stave with wood glue. That'll prevent checking along the back, as there'll still be enough moisture left in the wood to cause some cracking if left unsealed.

The bark and sapwood is where the borers and beetles live, and getting it off after stabilization will stop most problems. Back when I made an obscene number of bows, I'd keep around 200 staves on hand, and I'd just leave the bark on and take my chances, and as long as the wood never touched the ground, I lost very little of it.

But, it depends on how many staves you have. If it's a half dozen or so, it's not as big a deal and as much work. It'll also help the drying process by getting the bark and sapwood off, as you'll want to air dry them for about a year minimum before making a bow. You'll be trying for a stave that's dried to about 9% moisture content when making your bow.

I'll keep that in mind. Any good resources you'd recommend for bow making? I've been watching Clay Hayes on YouTube and some other guys. I'm hoping to make some hickory bows soon to practice while I wait for some Osage to dry for next year. The whole process is a lot of fun and shooting a deer with something I made is a big goal of mine.

 

[Lost Lake]

I'll keep that in mind. Any good resources you'd recommend for bow making? I've been watching Clay Hayes on YouTube and some other guys. I'm hoping to make some hickory bows soon to practice while I wait for some Osage to dry for next year. The whole process is a lot of fun and shooting a deer with something I made is a big goal of mine.

Buy all volumes of the Traditional Bowyers Bibles. They are an invaluable resource.

If you build a hickory bow, keep it inside your home while working on it. Hickory (and all white woods) absorbs moisture quickly. Although hickory is tough and hard to break, it'll also take "set" very quickly if given a good bend while tiller is off during the building process. Keeping the moisture content low helps greatly.

That is the one area that Osage is so much more forgiving than other woods. It'll take far less set.

 

[Laserman1]

I'll keep that in mind. Any good resources you'd recommend for bow making? I've been watching Clay Hayes on YouTube and some other guys. I'm hoping to make some hickory bows soon to practice while I wait for some Osage to dry for next year. The whole process is a lot of fun and shooting a deer with something I made is a big goal of mine.

Shooting a deer??? I j have tried many times to make bows, even have Clays book and Teaditional bowers Bibles. Mine keep breaking or getting a hinge before I get more than half way done. I'd be happy just to get to actually shoot a bow I made.

 

[Shag]

@Lost Lake you are a whole lot more knowledgeable than myself when it comes to self bows. Does this stave look useable? 81" long. It's got some wiggle to it. That was the straightest one from the whole log I split…the rest ended up being fire wood. If it's usable, @mountain chiro , you can have it if you're heading west on I-40, exit 280. It's been in the rafters of my garage for 4 years now.

 

[Shag]

Shooting a deer??? I j have tried many times to make bows, even have Clays book and Teaditional bowers Bibles. Mine keep breaking or getting a hinge before I get more than half way done. I'd be happy just to get to actually shoot a bow I made.

Same here! I'm yet to finish one to completion. I made a bunch of sawdust, shavings and firewood along the way though!

 

[Laserman1]

And get a Popeye forearm from hours of scraping.

 

[Shag]

And get a Popeye forearm from hours of scraping.

Next one I attempt, I'm using my big 2x72 belt sander that I use for knives! That should cut down considerably on the hogging off of material. If it doesn't work out, oh well. At least I didn't waste so much time and effort.

 

[Lost Lake]

@Lost Lake you are a whole lot more knowledgeable than myself when it comes to self bows. Does this stave look useable? 81" long. It's got some wiggle to it. That was the straightest one from the whole log I split…the rest ended up being fire wood. If it's usable, @mountain chiro , you can have it if you're heading west on I-40, exit 280. It's been in the rafters of my garage for 4 years now.View attachment 263502View attachment 263503View attachment 263504View attachment 263505

Looks plenty good to me Shag. I'd probably drop on down to where the growth rings are slightly thicker (about an inch under the sapwood) and the earlywood/latewood ratio is better.

Good looking stave from what I can see.

 

[Shag]

Looks plenty good to me Shag. I'd probably drop on down to where the growth rings are slighter thicker (about an inch under the sapwood) and the earlywood/latewood ratio is better.

Good looking stave from what I can see.

Thanks for giving it look and for the info @Lost Lake. @mountain chiro , it's yours if you want to come get it. If not, I'll put it back up in the rafters and I might get around to fooling with it one of these days.

 

[mountain chiro]

Thanks for giving it look and for the info @Lost Lake. @mountain chiro , it's yours if you want to come get it. If not, I'll put it back up in the rafters and I might get around to fooling with it one of these days.

Pm sent!

 

[mountain chiro]

Well I found some! A very generous landowner let me cut some limbs off a big hedge apple of his property. Did my best to split it and think it came out pretty well (with the help of a pup and my 4 year old) The only thing is that there are a couple dead spots with bugs in the sapwood, and a couple good knots in some of the staves. Hoping I can work around those spots. Got them sealed up with glue and sprayed with bug spray.

Now just have to wait a year or two…

 

[Lost Lake]

Well I found some! A very generous landowner let me cut some limbs off a big hedge apple of his property. Did my best to split it and think it came out pretty well (with the help of a pup and my 4 year old) The only thing is that there are a couple dead spots with bugs in the sapwood, and a couple good knots in some of the staves. Hoping I can work around those spots. Got them sealed up with glue and sprayed with bug spray.

Now just have to wait a year or two…

That's awesome. I don't build many these days, but I do miss it, and plan on getting back to it before long. It keeps you involved in archery Year-round.

Be careful though, if you're like most bowyers, you can't build just one, and it'll consume you. First it'll start as just building a couple of hunting bows, and you'll kill your first deer with one.

Then…..the fever sets in.

Then, you're trying a few new designs, and then figuring that the only way to get the info you want is to build dozens of each type and style.

Holmegaard
Sudbury
Pyramid
Snakeskin and rawhide backed bows
English longbows with horn tips
Eastern Woodland design
Composite bows
Spliced handle bows
Sinew-backed bows (don't even get me started there).

Then, after you've come full circle at least twice on all that, you'll realize that a simple unbacked selfbow serves better than most, and is utterly reliable too.

Man I'm tired just thinking about it.

But man, what a fun journey and worth every minute.

 

[mountain chiro]

That's awesome. I don't build many these days, but I do miss it, and plan on getting back to it before long. It keeps you involved in archery Year-round.

Be careful though, if you're like most bowyers, you can't build just one, and it'll consume you. First it'll start as just building a couple of hunting bows, and you'll kill your first deer with one.

Then…..the fever sets in.

Then, you're trying a few new designs, and then figuring that the only way to get the info you want is to build dozens of each type and style.

Holmegaard
Sudbury
Pyramid
Snakeskin and rawhide backed bows
English longbows with horn tips
Eastern Woodland design
Composite bows
Spliced handle bows
Sinew-backed bows (don't even get me started there).

Then, after you've come full circle at least twice on all that, you'll realize that a simple unbacked selfbow serves better than most, and is utterly reliable too.

Man I'm tired just thinking about it.

But man, what a fun journey and worth every minute.

I'm thinking about archery and hunting year round anyways, and this keeps me around my family a little more than scouting does.

Just picked up the traditional bowyer's bible so I'll be going through that this weekend!