Been out of osage for too long and went and cut some today. Got several good and several questionable staves from the tree.
Anyway, I don't want to wait 6 months for a stave to dry.
Has anyone had any luck or experience trying to speed up the process?
I've heard of guys putting it in the car in the summer :rolleyes:
I have a hot box that I could try.
I know this has been discussed at some point in the past.
Thanks for any advice.
You can reduce a stave to floor tiller stage and put it in the hot box for a few weeks at about 90degs. Be sure the back and ends are well sealed.
If you weigh the stave before drying and keep checking the weight until it goes 3 days without loosing weight. It will be ready to go.
I highly recommend you get Dean Torges' book "Hunting the Osage Bow". It tells all about force drying osage.
Hunting the Osage Bow (http://bowyersedge.com/hobhbb.html)
That is one heck of a good read. So much so, that I'm thinking I might want to give it a try. Now, I just need to find a good Osage tree.