Locating & Identifying Osage Orange and Black Locust in Winter In Alabama

[ropensaddle]

So, since I'm in error, why don't you educate me. What wood are we "preparing", hedge or walnut? How about red oak? I've got several hundred board feet of that, fresh off the mill, drying in the cellar. How about cherry? Got a few hundred board feet of that down there as well. Cedar? yep, got some of that. Walnut? Yep. I've got a real nice lived-edged mantle blank. Oh, wait. Maybe I need to do some research before all that wood ends up in the stove. :hmm3grin2orange:

Osage; trunk must be virtuously limbless in at least six feet with little to no grain twist, which eliminates 80% of candidates. The wood must be end sealed asap and put in cool dry place to cure, two years is optimal and it would be best if it was cut into staves 3 by 3. It can be sold per stave at 50 to a hundred per stave, 100 will be staves suitable as self bows, void of knots or propeller twist. The right trunk can yield many marketable staves. Walnut I know little of, except that there is one outfit in Missouri that will buy veneer grade walnut at premium prices if you have a log truck load. Anyway; sorry if your efforts have not yielded any fruit. That does not mean however, that it can't be done! The bow in my picture is osage with buffalo sinew backing and will shoot an arrow with astounding speed. I would put it up against any commercial long bow out there.

 

[Sagetown]

When I was young my Dad cut and stacked Osage in 6' lengths, and used them for fence posts on the ranch. He called those trees 'Horse Apples'. I always hated cutting them because of the milky white 'Elmer's Glue' sap that gets all over the saw, me, and everything else. Some trees are worse than others, and that sap will gum up yer saw too.

Now, as for Black Locust, it burns mighty hot too. It's a shallow rooted tree with roots running laterally, sprouting up everywhere. They can be a real menace around the yard, as it grows like weeds.

 

[Mac88]

Osage; trunk must be virtuously limbless in at least six feet with little to no grain twist, which eliminates 80% of candidates. The wood must be end sealed asap and put in cool dry place to cure, two years is optimal and it would be best if it was cut into staves 3 by 3. It can be sold per stave at 50 to a hundred per stave, 100 will be staves suitable as self bows, void of knots or propeller twist. The right trunk can yield many marketable staves.

You must have a better market in AR. I've checked around, never seen any prices approaching that. We'll continue to burn the 80% non-candidates.

 

[turnkey4099]

Got a good shot of the rings:

There are about 4 cords of tht buckskin Locust looking like that in the stack - really looking forward to feeding it to the fiskars next spring.

Harry K

 

[Sagetown]

Got a good shot of the rings:

There are about 4 cords of tht buckskin Locust looking like that in the stack - really looking forward to feeding it to the fiskars next spring.

Harry K

Harry; why do you call it Buckskin Locust out there?

 

[woodguy105]

Hmm.... I was just out in Stauunton Virginia over Thanksgiving and found a couple of those Osage Orange balls in the street. Didn't know what they were till I googled it. Anyone know if Hedge grows out here in North east? By the way i'd hate to be parked under one of those trees, the balls are pretty hefty..:msp_rolleyes:

 

[Mac88]

Hmm.... I was just out in Stauunton Virginia over Thanksgiving and found a couple of those Osage Orange balls in the street. Didn't know what they were till I googled it. Anyone know if Hedge grows out here in North east? By the way i'd hate to be parked under one of those trees, the balls are pretty hefty..:msp_rolleyes:

It looks like there aren't too many up your way.

Osage Orange Trees To Be Left Standing - Hartford Courant

 

[turnkey4099]

Harry; why do you call it Buckskin Locust out there?

Buckskin = dead with no bark on it. Can be any species but Tamarack and Locust are commonly found that way. Takes longer for some other species such as pine and fir.

Harry K

 

[Morgan in AR]

Hedge apples aren't perished this time of year. If you have any bois d' arc trees, they will be probably be in a thick grove. Very hard to miss. Rarely found as a single tree, and will not be found in the forest areas. This tree is only native to Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas, but was planted widely over the south and midwest as fencing. That is why they are almost always in fence rows.

 

[Sagetown]

Buckskin = dead with no bark on it. Can be any species but Tamarack and Locust are commonly found that way. Takes longer for some other species such as pine and fir.

Harry K

Thanks for the comeback Harry. That's an interesting note that I've never heard before. :cool2:

 

[Sagetown]

Hedge apples aren't perished this time of year. If you have any bois d' arc trees, they will be probably be in a thick grove. Very hard to miss. Rarely found as a single tree, and will not be found in the forest areas. This tree is only native to Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas, but was planted widely over the south and midwest as fencing. That is why they are almost always in fence rows.

I've got one big nasty knurley tree left in my pasture. Had several that Dad kept pruned for posts. My son thought he'd make short work of it with his new used 70cc saw, but found out the saw needs a sharp chain and someone with tree knowledge before it is effective. That tree gave him a humbling experience, and he left his mess for me to clean up.

 

[Morgan in AR]

I guess I should have said "occasionally found as a single tree". Male trees make a great shade tree when grown in the open.

 

[Sagetown]

I guess I should have said "occasionally found as a single tree". Male trees make a great shade tree when grown in the open.

Your were right the first time. I haven't seen them standing alone anywhere other than on my own place. Same with the Sassafras tree. Mom always wanted a few growing alone out in the pasture. She liked to make Sassafras tea from time to time. I learned the hard way to make sure no poison ivy is growing up the tree before you dig up the roots for tea.

 

[cheeves]

Hedge:

Hedge Apples:

[/QUOTEI've often wondered if the Shawnee Indians didn't use those Hedge apples for pain. In Allan Eckert's book "The Frontier'sman" he describes a pain remedy that the Indians used that was as good as the opiates " without the sequlae."

 

[ropensaddle]

You must have a better market in AR. I've checked around, never seen any prices approaching that. We'll continue to burn the 80% non-candidates.

Mac its a niche the market is not really here its in marketing to bowyers like me! It absolutely must be stored proper and staves must be cut where grain faces out. I'm not saying dont burn the wood, however; if someone had a great log top grade in straightness and limbless and large I would be willing to buy or find a buyer but it would be best to leave it standing! The only part needed would be trunk fist 6 to 8 foot if 25"dbh or there were a few it would be worth my time if not too far away! I would like to make some bows to sell.

 

[mountainmandan]

Mac its a niche the market is not really here its in marketing to bowyers like me! It absolutely must be stored proper and staves must be cut where grain faces out. I'm not saying dont burn the wood, however; if someone had a great log top grade in straightness and limbless and large I would be willing to buy or find a buyer but it would be best to leave it standing! The only part needed would be trunk fist 6 to 8 foot if 25"dbh or there were a few it would be worth my time if not too far away! I would like to make some bows to sell.

I might have a candidate, but will have to go look and take some pics. I know it is smaller than 25dbh, but straight. What do you mean by cut the staves with the grain facing out? Would a triangle work, like when you split rounds? I have had some interest, when I market it as firewood, a couple of guys have asked about staves, but I didn't know what to tell them.

Dan

 

[Mac88]

if someone had a great log top grade in straightness and limbless and large I would be willing to buy or find a buyer

Trees meeting those requirements are pretty scarce around here. We do have some lined up to be cut within the next couple months or so. If we find something decent I'll keep you in mind.

 

[ropensaddle]

Trees meeting those requirements are pretty scarce around here. We do have some lined up to be cut within the next couple months or so. If we find something decent I'll keep you in mind.

Yes they typically are twisted knarly cusses and yes on the triangle sorta. I have always just split the logs into staves but if using a mill I'm not sure how it would be cut. the main thing is the outter part of the rings must be facing out as that gonna be the back on the bow and the inner will be the belly! There should be typically enough wood to finish the bow by hand. It usually takes several rings off forming the back of the bow with a draw knife as the boyer must scrape it into one continuous growth ring for the back then rasp into shape and tiller from there! 3 inch by 3 inch will work and elmers glue will work as end sealer myself I would rather buy the log, the prices per stave would be retail advertized in traditional bow hunter jfyi! They reflect 2 year pre seasoned end sealed ready to work pieces! If I still lived in my birthplace, I would find and prepare many staves and advertize them in the magazine! If you find some decent logs let me know I am fairly certain me and my friend "another bow maker" would be interested if your in the Texas or Oklahoma, Arkansas,area. I would make an offer or barter. I also might be interested in staves at wholesale which is still gonna be worth not using that rare quality 6 to 7 foot length of trunk for firewood!

Note; if you find a few nice sections of log and cut it seal both ends with elmers glue or similar store in the dry off dirt or leave standing and pm me remember the rest of the tree is still firewood and the rare quality logs made you several bucks!

 

[ropensaddle]

I might have a candidate, but will have to go look and take some pics. I know it is smaller than 25dbh, but straight. What do you mean by cut the staves with the grain facing out? Would a triangle work, like when you split rounds? I have had some interest, when I market it as firewood, a couple of guys have asked about staves, but I didn't know what to tell them.

Dan

Triangle is fine yes similar to splits the info is in the post above!

 

[Mac88]

Note; if you find a few nice sections of log and cut it seal both ends with elmers glue or similar store in the dry off dirt or leave standing and pm me remember the rest of the tree is still firewood and the rare quality logs made you several bucks!

PM me the specs. I'll let you know when we get the trees down. A close-up of a cross-section of what you're looking for would help.