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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: razorsharptokill on May 30, 2019, 10:24:16 AM

Title: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: razorsharptokill on May 30, 2019, 10:24:16 AM

Have some roughed out and shellac sealed Osage staves that are seven years old.  Been stored in and unheated/uncooled shop. Too dry?

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: Roy from Pa on May 30, 2019, 10:37:24 AM

Oh heck ya, they are way too dry.

I'll just pay you for the shipping, give ya an extra 50 bucks and take them off your hands.

LOL..

They will be fine, go ahead and use them.

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: razorsharptokill on May 30, 2019, 10:41:09 AM

 :goldtooth:

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: BMorv on May 30, 2019, 10:50:51 AM

Yeah what Roy said. 
Wood will reach an equilibrium with it's environment in a year or two.  See where you are in the chart. 
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Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: Pat B on May 30, 2019, 10:59:21 AM

The older, the better!   :readit:

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: Roy from Pa on May 30, 2019, 11:05:09 AM

Quote

The older, the better!

That's right, Pat

So you and I outta be pretty darn good:)

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: Shredd on May 30, 2019, 11:33:10 AM

I don't make that kind of bow but I would assume that it would compare  it to a fine scotch or whiskey...

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: Forwardhandle on May 30, 2019, 04:11:41 PM

I have some 25 yr old staves on the wall that some day I'm going to work with a friend of mine has some of the same batch that made some stellar bows ,osage takes a very long time to season I have a couple 5 yr old ruffed down staves that are hanging on the wall and they keep taking more reflex every year for the last 3 yrs ,I would have already worked them but Roy made me make these plastic bows  :biglaugh:

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: Roy from Pa on May 30, 2019, 04:23:09 PM

LOL

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: Pat B on May 31, 2019, 01:41:38 PM

Roy, I think we're more like a couple of old lighter knots. But we can share a couple of fingers worth of that good old scotch or bourbon Shedd was talking about and a 7 year old osage stave can't.  :goldtooth:

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: scrub-buster on June 01, 2019, 09:39:36 PM

Depending on where you live I bet that stave still has excess moisture to lose.  The humidity and moisture in the air outside will keep it from getting too dry.  I'm working on a stave that is 27 years old and was stored in the same conditions.  I roughed it out and brought it into my house to dry out a little more.  I might put it in my hot box for a few hours on my next day off. 

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: razorsharptokill on June 02, 2019, 07:55:06 AM

When I got into it I was surprised to see there was still a fair amount of moisture.

Title: Re: Seven year old Osage staves too old?
Post by: soy on June 03, 2019, 07:52:42 PM

I have made some from pieces that were fence posts in the 1930s