What are Osage good size (12"+ small end) logs going for?

Sedgehammer · May 03, 2024, 10:03:25 AM

How do. Might have access to some. Just wondering what the going rate is in the Oklahoma n surrounding areas

Please move thread if it fits better elsewhere

Thanks

beenthere · May 03, 2024, 04:39:12 PM

Please elaborate a bit about your question.

Truck load? Quality? ??

doc henderson · May 03, 2024, 06:22:51 PM

I do not know the cost. around here, they are gangly and hard to find a good-sized saw log. "Hedge rows" are being taken out and put in piles. usually, a mix of hardwood and ceder. It is free for the taking here. many use it as the densest firewood around here at 32 million BTUs per cord. folks here still harvested for fence posts. very rot resistant. we are north of you. if the crew dozing it out could save some larger straighter pieces and get them to you, then whatever is appropriate for his time and effort. I have milled it to dry and make turkey scratch calls and strikers.

Sedgehammer · May 04, 2024, 01:27:47 AM

Quote from: beenthere on May 03, 2024, 04:39:12 PMPlease elaborate a bit about your question.

Truck load? Quality? ??

Depends on the size of the truck load I suppose. The area where i get my cedar logs from has a lot growing in the woods. Some really straight

Sedgehammer · May 04, 2024, 01:29:52 AM

Quote from: doc henderson on May 03, 2024, 06:22:51 PMI do not know the cost. around here, they are gangly and hard to find a good-sized saw log. "Hedge rows" are being taken out and put in piles. usually, a mix of hardwood and ceder. It is free for the taking here. many use it as the densest firewood around here at 32 million BTUs per cord. folks here still harvested for fence posts. very rot resistant. we are north of you. if the crew dozing it out could save some larger straighter pieces and get them to you, then whatever is appropriate for his time and effort. I have milled it to dry and make turkey scratch calls and strikers.

I'm personally not needing any, as of yet. Whence I get several projects caught up I want to make my own furniture for on the barndo. I just thought of ask. Thanks tho Doc

hedgerow · May 04, 2024, 11:29:30 AM

Sledgehammer There wasn't a lot hedge planted in my area. I do have a quarter section that had many rows of hedge planted on it in the 1930's and no one ever did any thing with it. I have harvested a ton of hedge off it and have took a few saw logs out for a couple of folks over the years but most of the hedge doesn't make nice saw logs. Have cut some posts for my own usage and mostly firewood for my own usage in my Garn to heat my house and shop. I did give some to a guy a while back that wanted to make some bowls out of it. If the hedge in your area would good saw logs I would think you will have to pay what the fence post guys would pay for the trees in your area. I know a lot of hedge posts come out of OK and KS.

Sedgehammer · May 04, 2024, 01:27:07 PM

Quote from: hedgerow on May 04, 2024, 11:29:30 AMSledgehammer There wasn't a lot hedge planted in my area. I do have a quarter section that had many rows of hedge planted on it in the 1930's and no one ever did any thing with it. I have harvested a ton of hedge off it and have took a few saw logs out for a couple of folks over the years but most of the hedge doesn't make nice saw logs. Have cut some posts for my own usage and mostly firewood for my own usage in my Garn to heat my house and shop. I did give some to a guy a while back that wanted to make some bowls out of it. If the hedge in your area would good saw logs I would think you will have to pay what the fence post guys would pay for the trees in your area. I know a lot of hedge posts come out of OK and KS.

Thanks! I might get some just for making 2" boards, but was hoping there was a market for them for me to sell some

doc henderson · May 04, 2024, 03:12:03 PM

people who know about it love it, but not many know it

Larry · May 04, 2024, 03:33:12 PM

The folks in Stuttgart AR., duck hunting capital of the entire world certainly know about it. Of course "bodark" brings twice the dollars of osage orange. Osage orange is Yankee talk.

I keep a supply on hand to make tools with as it is one of the best for that kind of stuff. Somebody occasionally calls wanting a game call blank from when I sold such things 25 years ago.

Southside · May 04, 2024, 03:57:06 PM

I have 5 that are sourced from Thomas Jeffersons tree at Montpelier and a few other seedlings that were gathered in Nebraska. Got two apples off of the Montpelier trees last year for the first time so it will be a while before I have any logs off of these.

Brad_bb · **Yesterday** at 01:37:26 AM

I've cut 100 plus Osage logs for timberframe braces and 5.5" boxed heart x 7-9' for other uses. Back in 2017 I was paying $25 for each brace I could get out of a log. Depending on diameter and defects I might get two 4.25" thick braces, or 1 of that size, or one up to 6.25" thick. base it on a brace finishing at 4x8 like a standard brace, but all my osage braces are live edge. I thought I was being generous with what I was paying as they would've burned them in a slash pile otherwise usually or made firewood. The logs I was after were 5ft minimum length but usually 6 or 8 feet long. Nothing less than 6" dia., and up to 16" dia. There were larger trunks, but I passed on those because they didn't fit my needs, tend to have more defects and hollow centers the bigger they are, and are really heavy.

You'll rarely get a clear board. Osage is most often curved or crooked. So you may end up with 4', 6' and 8' boards if you're lucky. Most will have defects, but Osage is strong despite some defects. It's also very rot resistant and it goof for projects that are outside. I have a 1/4" thick osage mailbox door because the old one got too bent.

I don't think Osage is a wood that is tracked for price like Walnut and oak. At least not that I know of. So I think it's a niche market for Osage. You'd have to see what others in your area are charging for it. I'd think somewhere between white oak and Walnut. I've never sold any because I use all my wood myself. Besides the brace stock, the side wood I have is often live edge. The PPB's love Osage sapwood despite osage having a rather thin sapwood ring. You can't plane it with a straight blade planer. You really need a helical to prevent tear out. Drum sander or belt sander even better. Lastly, Osage is bright yellow when you cut it, but it oxidizes to a nice rust brown over a couple months, and sun and humidity will make it go even darker, though I would not air dry it in the sun.

47sawdust · **Today** at 11:24:42 AM

Southside,
Growing up in Southern Illinois we had quite a bit of Osage Orange.
Grapefruit size "hedge balls" were perfect size for the delinquents to roll down a hilly back road.Hill climbing vehicles were not amused.