big osage orange tree(pic)

[music_boy]

     Largest Oage I've ever seen! Was getting ready to be burned. Friend of mine rescued the tree for me. Foreman on the job( clearing to put in a banK) has been very helpful in moving the sections around and will load them to take to the mill. Found an Amish bandmill that can handle 36 inch stuff. Some of these sections are 5 and 6 feet in diameter. So, I've been splitting them into 36 inch stuff. Whew!!!!!!!!!!!
Ought to get some really nice instrument wood outa this one. Contacted Gibson at their Nashville office about looking at this wood. Refered to the "wood buying expert." Haven't heard anything. There are some other builders out there that will be interested in this wood.
Suggestions welcome
Thanks
Rick 8) ;D

[woodbeard]

Yes, here is a suggestion: cover every inch of the log with postage stamps and my address, then roll it over to the mailbox. ;D Oh, and don't forget to leave the little flag up! :D
Seriously, though, drop me a line. I might like to get a little, if possible. I've started a few necks with osage fingerboards, and it seems like is going to work very well. Looks real sharp w/ black mother of pearl inlay dots.

[woodbeard]

also, try and get it to the mill as soon as possible. That stuff gets real hard real quick.

[music_boy]

Yeah,
      It starts out hard, and then gets harder. Fortunately, I had access to a stihl 440 mag w/24 bar. Had to re sharpen frequently. It is a gorgeous wood though.Everyone that sees a finished board wants some for crafts and stuff. I made a Mandolin fingerboard with Osage and really liked the way it turned out. There's enough wood here I can share and trade. The pic is just one section. It was a very large tree.
Thanks
Rick

[Stan]

Man that's a lot of barn poles you guys are talkin' about makin' into splinters.  ;D

[Kirk_Allen]

You dont want to leave it in log form for very long.  I have cut about 2000 bf of Osage and rest assured, the longer on the ground, the harder it is to cut.  

The local farmer that gave me a major whack of logs showed me another fence line he wants me to clear.  

ITS ALL OSAGE 8)  Smallest one in the lot was 20" with most of them about 24-30" DIB.

I wont cut them down unless I can mill them the same week.

Once my finger heals I will be back in action.

Dont forget, Archery folks love Osage for making bows.

[Buzz-sawyer]

A couple of years ago I sawed some osage 30'' that had been on the ground for 20 years!!!
It cut like steel.... I had to slow my feed rate down to a crawl and it made a raquet you wouldnt believe...it was bright colored and fresh looking as 20 years ago inside though..........

[woodbeard]

Stan, 5' diameter poles in a barn? You raisin' Elephants? :D

[Stan]

Never heard of 6x6s? :

[woodbeard]

Oh, I get it. Sorry :  I've seen very few barns around here with square poles.

[music_boy]

My thoughts on that are this,; You can make barn poles outa most anything. Instrument wood is just a tad more persnickity(love that word) as to the job they need to do.
     After all, a Poplar wood will hold a beam as well as Maple. But Poplar will not hold a b flat not as well as maple or some other tone woods.
Rick

[mhasel]

Hey Rick,

I drove by the other day and noticed that they had started clearing and was wondering if you were able to arrange for the logs, looks like you have 8)

If you still need a hand with any of the larger let me know, I wouldn't mind having a board or two just for the heck of it.

Mike

[woodbeard]

Actually, Rick, woods like osage and black locust have long been used for barn poles and fence posts because of their long life (30+years) in direct soil contact. But I know what you mean. I wince when my old farmer neighbor tells me of 5'dia. black walnut trees being sawn up for gate lumber.  
Poplar might not have much use in an acoustic instrument, but it is not uncommon in electric guitar and bass bodies. Lightweight, takes paint well, and actually has nice tone.

[music_boy]

Mike,
     Yep, I got the logs, and the roots, and everything ;D 8)
      Tell you what,,,If you have the equipment to load and haul,, and you want to saw the wood, I'm sure we can come to terms. Amish wants .18 a board foot. My back is pretty strong after bustn those rounds down to 36 " so I can certainly help. No super rush to saw them but seems longer is harder on the saw. It is some tough wood. Check out the pieces and let me know.
Thanks
Rick