The Osage orange is such a neat tree, it wouldn’t be around today if it wasn’t for early humans. The fruit was a favorite of wooly mammoths and when they went extinct most land mammals in North America didn’t eat the fruit so the tress saw a major decline as the fruit isn’t eaten to have the seeds spread naturally . Being saved by early humans who used it to make bows and I’m sure other tools. It then saw a resurgence with early settlers as a hedge tree and was used as a fence with its thorns and strength it did a great job until the invention of barbed wire made it obsolete. Now you only find it on the edges of the old fields they used to protect.
The name Osage Orange comes from the Osage Tribe and the appearance of the fruit. Other than the color, it looks like an orange. The name Bois D'Arc comes from the french bois (wood) and arc (reference to the bows made by the natives). Y'all are correct, it's beautiful when aged and worked. Enjoyed the video.
I couldn't help watching that centipede that crawled out of the middle of the second log. He kept moving just far enough to get missed by the blade on each pass.
You mentioned the smell...could you descibe it? I milled a log for a customer that had a very peculiar smell. I would say it was a sweet lime smell. Not sure what kind of wood it was. Customer didn't know either.
Where I live, there's fences that were built with hedge post that are well over 100yrs old & still solid as concrete. Also one of the best for firewood.
We made a vise on our work bench. Integrated some metal stock into it to screw it in an out it worked great. Used it for years . It's a shame that old folks used it as fence post not much of it left here in Tennessee you will on occasion find some but very rare.
This is so cool to see a machine like this! Osage Orange is also a fantastic tonewood. I'd love to make a neck-through guitar w some. My friend thinks it's impractical bc of the density. My limited cabinet shop experience tells me otherwise. Do you need a special blade when cutting, or say... routing? - I've seen Wenge and cocobolo laying around my former shop so I'm sure I can do it.
@@TCSawmills I've milled quite a bit of it with my chainsaw mill, it does dull the chain faster than other hardwoods but it's really pretty, I have some that has stayed bright yellow and other that has turned dark brown. If your near Kansas city I will give you some to make your guitar neck or whatever you want.
I love some of the smells of cutting. My fav was black walnut but the juglone in the tree is poisonous and causes bleeding lungs. Learned that sanding and finishing doors for a week. Can't use that stuff for horse bedding either.
@@110americalovingpatriot2 That is very nice of you. I am actually in Ottawa Canada but I have some friends who made semi regular trips that way before COVID. I also worked at a southern BBQ place here and want to explore that culture a bit, but it might be a while before I get a trip like that. I would look you up in a heartbeat if I found myself nearby. All that to say thank-you kindly.
On the Janka harness scale Hickory is at 1820, Osage is at 2760. It's harder than Amazon Rosewood at 2620. Can't wait to make some spoons from the scrap pieces.
@@TCSawmills oh wow that's pretty hard I'll have to try to get some I'd like to make a bow that would be pretty cool or maybe a spoon I've never made any of those
It'll make a great archery bow, but you will find it has a not quite straight kinky grain, and because it's a hedge or brushy wood, it will have frequent knots that have to be worked around. You MUST follow the grain no matter where it leads you, or the bow will break during tillering.
Well, it's NOT "bodock"! It's "Bois d'arc", which translates to "wood of the bow". It makes the finest all- wood archery bows, but you will have trouble with the kinky grain and frequent knots in the wood. Makes a beautiful bow, though!
One blade did it all, but it was slowing down at the end. I just used it to cut one more pine today and tomorrow I will change it out. I've got an interesting cedar job to cut. Should have a video out on it this weekend.
That's what he intends to do he carves them following the grain. I haven't seen the final product yet but he makes quite a few. The ones where the grain didn't work he will make into grips for various things, knives, bows, tools, etc.
@@TCSawmills That's odd..all the bow makers I know only saw the logs for laminated bows. Self bow builders all split by hand. Very labor intensive but it's the only way to get a proper yield from a log. th-cam.com/video/5kBKLgSlbuY/w-d-xo.html
The Osage orange is such a neat tree, it wouldn’t be around today if it wasn’t for early humans. The fruit was a favorite of wooly mammoths and when they went extinct most land mammals in North America didn’t eat the fruit so the tress saw a major decline as the fruit isn’t eaten to have the seeds spread naturally . Being saved by early humans who used it to make bows and I’m sure other tools. It then saw a resurgence with early settlers as a hedge tree and was used as a fence with its thorns and strength it did a great job until the invention of barbed wire made it obsolete. Now you only find it on the edges of the old fields they used to protect.
Very nice . I love to see different woods
The name Osage Orange comes from the Osage Tribe and the appearance of the fruit. Other than the color, it looks like an orange. The name Bois D'Arc comes from the french bois (wood) and arc (reference to the bows made by the natives). Y'all are correct, it's beautiful when aged and worked. Enjoyed the video.
Awesome, thanks for the info!
I couldn't help watching that centipede that crawled out of the middle of the second log. He kept moving just far enough to get missed by the blade on each pass.
I saw that only after watching it a second time. Crazy
My new favorite wood. I’d be interested in anything leftover that I could make me a long walking stick from.
I am adding one more name to this tree as "Majestic wood of North America"
You mentioned the smell...could you descibe it?
I milled a log for a customer that had a very peculiar smell. I would say it was a sweet lime smell. Not sure what kind of wood it was. Customer didn't know either.
Osage to me smells like black pepper mixed with a cut Polkweed smell.
Where I live, there's fences that were built with hedge post that are well over 100yrs old & still solid as concrete. Also one of the best for firewood.
It's hard as a rock and burns extremely hot. It will definitely clean out a chimney....maybe too well
Osage and Mulberry are in the same family. Mulberry has yellow/Orange wood and can be used for making bows as well
That's awesome, I've only seen 1 mulberry cut up and it's very good looking.
That is beautiful
We made a vise on our work bench. Integrated some metal stock into it to screw it in an out it worked great. Used it for years . It's a shame that old folks used it as fence post not much of it left here in Tennessee you will on occasion find some but very rare.
It's super hard and you are right we don't find much of it anymore. This cam out of West Point Mississippi.
This is so cool to see a machine like this! Osage Orange is also a fantastic tonewood. I'd love to make a neck-through guitar w some. My friend thinks it's impractical bc of the density. My limited cabinet shop experience tells me otherwise. Do you need a special blade when cutting, or say... routing? - I've seen Wenge and cocobolo laying around my former shop so I'm sure I can do it.
I cut it with a standard sawmill blade, it's tough to cut so I go slow. A carbide blade would work better but not necessary.
@@TCSawmills I've milled quite a bit of it with my chainsaw mill, it does dull the chain faster than other hardwoods but it's really pretty, I have some that has stayed bright yellow and other that has turned dark brown. If your near Kansas city I will give you some to make your guitar neck or whatever you want.
The smell is also something unique, bitter pepper smell. Makes some beautiful spoons too.
I love some of the smells of cutting. My fav was black walnut but the juglone in the tree is poisonous and causes bleeding lungs. Learned that sanding and finishing doors for a week. Can't use that stuff for horse bedding either.
@@110americalovingpatriot2 That is very nice of you. I am actually in Ottawa Canada but I have some friends who made semi regular trips that way before COVID. I also worked at a southern BBQ place here and want to explore that culture a bit, but it might be a while before I get a trip like that. I would look you up in a heartbeat if I found myself nearby. All that to say thank-you kindly.
Wow that looks awesome is that as hard as Hickory
On the Janka harness scale Hickory is at 1820, Osage is at 2760. It's harder than Amazon Rosewood at 2620. Can't wait to make some spoons from the scrap pieces.
@@TCSawmills oh wow that's pretty hard I'll have to try to get some I'd like to make a bow that would be pretty cool or maybe a spoon I've never made any of those
I agree, I would love to try a Osage Bow.
It'll make a great archery bow, but you will find it has a not quite straight kinky grain, and because it's a hedge or brushy wood, it will have frequent knots that have to be worked around. You MUST follow the grain no matter where it leads you, or the bow will break during tillering.
Is the Osage for sale? and if so how do I go about buying some Osage
I was cutting this for a customer. The only thing that is for sale is the bookmatched set that had all the carpenter ants in it.
Well, it's NOT "bodock"! It's "Bois d'arc", which translates to "wood of the bow". It makes the finest all- wood archery bows, but you will have trouble with the kinky grain and frequent knots in the wood. Makes a beautiful bow, though!
do you sell 4/4 and 8/4 lumber of this??
Sorry I don't, I only get a few logs of it each year
How contact the bow maker?
I'll try to get his contact info posted.
I would guess that Osage gave that blade a work out....
One blade did it all, but it was slowing down at the end. I just used it to cut one more pine today and tomorrow I will change it out. I've got an interesting cedar job to cut. Should have a video out on it this weekend.
pour some water on it it turns ernge
I'm guessing those slats are to be used for laminated bows? They're not staves unless they're hand split and follow the natural grain of the wood. :)
That's what he intends to do he carves them following the grain. I haven't seen the final product yet but he makes quite a few. The ones where the grain didn't work he will make into grips for various things, knives, bows, tools, etc.
@@TCSawmills That's odd..all the bow makers I know only saw the logs for laminated bows. Self bow builders all split by hand. Very labor intensive but it's the only way to get a proper yield from a log.
th-cam.com/video/5kBKLgSlbuY/w-d-xo.html