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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: scrub-buster on December 20, 2018, 11:36:24 AM

Title: Got my osage slabs back
Post by: scrub-buster on December 20, 2018, 11:36:24 AM
Several years back I had a couple osage logs sawed into 2" thick boards.  I never took them down any farther and ended up trading or giving most of them away.  The logs weren't the straightest.  I'm trying again and hoping for boards straight enough to cut lams from.  I'm taking them to a small sawmill operation on Saturday.  I guess the plan is to have them cut into 2.25" slabs and then cut those into 2.25" square boards and let them dry.  I plan on sealing the ends with several coats of glue and strapping them together with spacers to dry.  Does that sound like a good plan?  I guess I will need to get a planer in the near future.   

Here is what I have to take to the mill.  Since this picture I cut one more log but I want that one cut into thinner boards for a bench or tables.

(https://i.imgur.com/PayzBba.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/a9H6byW.jpg)


The ones that I'm cutting up for bow wood have a dark red color

(https://i.imgur.com/c0Ojo0z.jpg)
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 20, 2018, 12:23:56 PM
Nice logs, Clint.

Plan will work..
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: scrub-buster on December 20, 2018, 12:50:13 PM
Thanks Roy.  Those big red osage logs have interlocking grain similar to Elm.  I saw it in the bark before I cut it.  I tried splitting a 1' long test piece and it just laughed at me.  I figured it would make nice lumber.  The grain should keep it from checking too bad I would think. 
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: Pat B on December 20, 2018, 01:01:40 PM
That's gonna make some nice lumber, Clint. If I may suggest, once you have them sawn into 2.25" lumber stack and sticker them for a month or 2 before cutting them smaller. Less chance for them to move(twist) that way.
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: Crooked Stic on December 20, 2018, 01:03:25 PM
I can send you my address I might need to inspect a couple of 8/4 slabs for you.    :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: scrub-buster on December 20, 2018, 01:18:53 PM
That's gonna make some nice lumber, Clint. If I may suggest, once you have them sawn into 2.25" lumber stack and sticker them for a month or 2 before cutting them smaller. Less chance for them to move(twist) that way.

That was the plan Pat.  I'm too busy to cut them anyway.  I need to figure out a place to stack them now.
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 20, 2018, 03:07:17 PM
once you have them sawn into 2.25" lumber stack and sticker them for a month or 2 before cutting them smaller.

Yup same here or even longer.

Clint ya can store them in my shop:)
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: BMorv on December 20, 2018, 03:38:21 PM
Those are some awesome logs you got there.  I'm jealous of you guys in osage country. 
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: Jerry Gille on December 20, 2018, 08:13:58 PM
If it were me I'd sticker them and leave them to dry in slab form. I have never had good luck going from log to square lumber like you are asking about.
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: scrub-buster on December 21, 2018, 08:18:59 AM
I'm glad I left those logs close to the road.  We had a bunch of rain in the last 24 hours and it's muddy.  I'll post some pictures of my log loading trailer tomorrow.   We have had a nice stretch of weather for December.  I cut some logs to split into staves too.  This was some easy to split osage.

(https://i.imgur.com/45zbzCz.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/hqYeHY4.jpg)


After I had those busted into chuncks I found another tree to cut. This stuff is red also.

(https://i.imgur.com/QuTS43b.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/gyRG7d9.jpg)
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 21, 2018, 12:21:39 PM
That's some pretty Osage....

 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: Pat B on December 21, 2018, 01:01:11 PM
Clint always gets good osage.  :thumbsup:  Helps having it growing nearby.
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: scrub-buster on December 22, 2018, 10:47:56 PM
Here's a short video of my log trailer in action.  I took 2 loads to the mill today.

https://youtu.be/UQ3R4ssdOsQ
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 23, 2018, 04:40:02 AM
That's pretty cool, Clint.
Title: Re: Going to the sawmill Saturday
Post by: scrub-buster on December 28, 2018, 08:47:13 PM
I picked up the  osage slabs today.  I was very happy with what he charged.  I think the boards look amazing.  I see a lot of bow wood in them.  Other slabs will make beautiful tables. 

(https://i.imgur.com/GzDXxTf.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/KNSGdL9.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/rV0FCwp.jpg)


You can see the waves in the grain.  I could see this in the bark before I cut the tree. 

(https://i.imgur.com/LmxQu0b.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/eM55l3C.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/DqD4SuO.jpg)


The wind checks make some beautiful designs. 

(https://i.imgur.com/LeTTTvq.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/1jqjouF.jpg)


I stickered them and stacked them in my garage for now.  I plan on moving them to another storage building eventually. 

(https://i.imgur.com/u69z25B.jpg)
Title: Re: Got my osage slabs back
Post by: Flem on December 28, 2018, 09:45:51 PM
Nice haul! you got some beautiful wood. Those wind checks are really cool looking.
Title: Re: Got my osage slabs back
Post by: BMorv on December 28, 2018, 11:23:43 PM
Oh wow.  Those boards came out nice.
Keep me in mind if you ever want to sell some. 
So does this mean you are going to start building lam bows???
-Ben
Title: Re: Got my osage slabs back
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 29, 2018, 04:26:43 AM
Very nice, Clint.

 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Got my osage slabs back
Post by: Eric Krewson on December 29, 2018, 09:04:38 AM
I wonder if the bark has wasp larva in it?
Title: Re: Got my osage slabs back
Post by: Crooked Stic on December 29, 2018, 09:53:42 AM
Sprinkle Sevin on them and seal the ends. Those check pieces might be resin  pressure projects.
Title: Re: Got my osage slabs back
Post by: scrub-buster on December 29, 2018, 10:03:05 AM
The ends are sealed with at least 2 coats of wood glue. 

I know at least one of the logs had borers.  It is one I had cut several years ago and left in the woods.  I planned on dousing them in bug killer when I move them to the other storage building. 
Title: Re: Got my osage slabs back
Post by: Possum Head on December 29, 2018, 10:23:14 AM
Beautiful! Hope things work out for you.
Title: Re: Got my osage slabs back
Post by: Pat B on December 29, 2018, 10:24:09 AM
Bug tunnels can be interesting in a table.
Title: Re: Got my osage slabs back
Post by: Bowjunkie on December 29, 2018, 06:25:41 PM
Nice looking stuff. Spray it with good bug spray. Dry it slow. No air movement. No sun. No heat... for several months. Some of those may crack open anyhow, not much you can do about it. I had some beaut hickory logs milled into planks like that two years ago. A couple split. A couple warped a little. But most are still really nice. They're still in a part of the garage with no heat, air, or humidity control. I could move them to the shop now I suppose, I just don't have room.