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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: razorsharptokill on February 24, 2011, 10:00:00 AM

Title: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: razorsharptokill on February 24, 2011, 10:00:00 AM
They have some 6' 8/4 Osage for $16.99 a BF. The rings are not distinct so I know it's no good for making a selfbow but wondered if I could resaw it and use in BBO longbows?
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on February 24, 2011, 10:14:00 AM
Sounds good to me Jim. If you back it it wont matter what the rings or grain are like.
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: John Cooper on February 24, 2011, 10:51:00 AM
Is it Argentinian Osage or American Osage?  I've heard that either work.
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: Art B on February 24, 2011, 10:59:00 AM
Hey Pearl, just because it's Osage doesn't make it suitable for some type of backing. Still some concerns to look for:

You don't want severe grain run-ups. Good early/latewood ratio. Light and dark patches are good indicators of soft/hard areas due to grain swirl. Common sometimes with boards cut from very large trees. Severe, uneven growth rings thickness. Indicators of tension/compression issues that can cause crooking or lateral movement. Not to mention, knots and such......Art
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: razorsharptokill on February 24, 2011, 11:02:00 AM
Should be around $75.00 for the board.
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: NTD on February 24, 2011, 11:22:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by PEARL DRUMS:
Sounds good to me Jim. If you back it it wont matter what the rings or grain are like.
Wow...Simply NOT true.

Ah, I see that Art already covered that  :)
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on February 24, 2011, 11:24:00 AM
Oooops.......I did what I dont like seeing other do. Sorry for the fat mouth
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: razorsharptokill on February 24, 2011, 12:06:00 PM
The thin rings are barely discernable from the thick rings on some boards. Not sure if it is Argentine or not. I can get pics of the grain I guess.
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: SEMO_HUNTER on February 24, 2011, 12:13:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by razorsharptokill:
Should be around $75.00 for the board.
For that price you would be better off with a stave. I sell some larger ones that some guys get 2 bows out of and even a belly split stave bow from one I recently sold for much less than $16.99 pr/brd. ft.

If I leave the bark and sapwood on I can put one in your hands for less than $70 bucks.
The finished ones down to the first ring and almost a bow blank are the more expensive ones cause there's more work involved.
Larger staves cleaned of bark and sapwood and sealed run in the mid $70's range.

Sorry for jumping in with an ad, but just wanted you to know what kind of stave you can get for that kind of money and there's no guarantees on a board that it will be useable when you get it.
Unless of course you can hand pick your own?
Kinda like guys do when picking out a hardwood board at Lowes or Home Depot, places like that.

You could back an Osage board with boo and probably make a good bow out of it though? I have see several like that.
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: razorsharptokill on February 24, 2011, 03:37:00 PM
Thanks SEMO. This board is 8/4 so it's about 1.75 thick x 6" wide by 6' long. Several 6' lams in there.
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: razorback on February 24, 2011, 04:35:00 PM
At about $15 a bow plus backing it probably wouldn't hurt to give it a try. You could even do some experimenting with backing and design and see what you come up with.
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: eagleone on February 24, 2011, 05:55:00 PM
how ironic- i was just thinking about asking our local woodcraft if they could order some bigger osage boards, around here they just carry handle size pieces
Title: Re: Board Osage at Woodcraft.
Post by: hova on February 24, 2011, 10:15:00 PM
i would get ahold of semo or dvshunter , and get a stave over a board from a large company that i didnt inspect myself...

the stave i won from dvs would contain no less than 3 bows and copious amounts of scraps(gold) , and 50-75 is about what they normally run. if semo sold just belly splits or even "scrap" splits  , for say 20$ shipped , i would have plenty of osage for all the kids in the family. i need like 21 bows just for the under 10 age group...

sorry to ramble , i enjoyed some new snus tonight and im a little chatty...
-hov