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Thread: Osage Orange?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    955

    Osage Orange?

    A gentleman that I know was thinking of clearing a hedgerow of Osage Orange trees and ask me about it's characteristics. I could not help him since I had no experience with the wood. Soooo...

    What kind of wood is it?

    Is cracking a problem?

    How hard is it?

    How is it to work with?

    Is it orange in color?

    Any other information would be appreciated.

    TIA

    Toney

  2. #2
    It is very hard and abrasive. Chainsaw chains will spark when cutting it. It dulls turning tools. It is a yellow-orange that turns a dull orange-brown over time.
    My favorite cologne is BLO

  3. I have several hundred board feet in a barn. It is extremely hard to saw, the sawmill operator got a rash due to the sap also. It took him a while to get used to cutting it and as a result the first few boards were a bit wavy. It is extremely rot and insect resistant and we use it for fence posts quite often also.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Grand Rapids, MI
    Posts
    806

    If...

    If you don't feel like attempting to make it into lumber, I bet you could sell it to woodturners. (We like it.) I know there would probably be some takers from here at SMC.

    Hutch

  5. Osage Orange - Some trivia!

    Back when I was an avid duck hunter, I got into using high end duck calls because they just sounded more natural. It turned out that my neighbor at the time was married to a girl who's Father built VERY high end duck calls (Wendall Carlson).

    http://www.carlsoncalls.com/index.html

    In fact his duck calls were used by the winners of the World Duck Calling Championship in Stuttgart, Arkansas, five years in a row. Guess what he used for wood? Osage Orange, and these things sold for $200.00 a piece.
    Steven

  6. #6
    Here's a picture of a freshly milled osage orange board. Tough to mill and work.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Abilene, TX
    Posts
    223
    Toney,

    Think folks have pegged it correctly for you; it can be fun to turn, but yes is extremely hard and will dull your chisels rather quickly. But it turns beautifully, cuts cleanly, and very little sanding with a very sharp bowl gouge. A real pretty bright yellow, but with exposure does become kinda a brownish color. I've not had trouble with it cracking. Has a good weight for throw tops. Hope that helps, Jude

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Griswold Connecticut
    Posts
    6,926
    Tony

    Orange Osage, or Orange Osage Bois d' Arc(sp.) is a very dense american hardwood. I believe that it is among the most dense in the US.

    The color can very from a chiffon yellow, to a russet brown.

    Cracking is not a problem if properly milled and stored.

    It is very hard to work with. It takes carbide tips and very sharp tools.

    Milled in quartersawn fashion it is spectacular in appearance.

    Like almost all woods that are difficult to work with, the end result is worth it. I have quite a few bd/ft of OO in the shop.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Eastern, IA
    Posts
    102
    We were removing a ton of that stuff from a couple of preserves I was working with. We ended up cutting a bunch of felling wedges out of it. They took more abuse than any manufactured one. Lots of fence posts, etc. That stuff won't ever rot.

  10. #10

    great wood for bows too

    The very old barns (over 100 years) around here still have their original posts made from Osage Orange, or as we call it, Bodark. It goes by many names but was used by the Osage indians in making bows. Takes abuse very well and is flexible. Bowyers love the stuff, especially when rivved (sp). I have some in my barn too.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    East Central Illinois
    Posts
    532

    Osage Orange

    My uncle has osage orange fence posts that have been in the ground for the last hundred years. I have turned chisel handles with it. I have also used it for miter slot runners on jigs.
    Because it is one of the densest woods in N. America (it will burn just below the temperature of coal) it is used for firewood. I heat my garage with it.

  12. #12
    Called hedgeapple around here, and it can be a real nuisance! Thorny, invasive, and just generally a real pain. I am certain everyone is correct on it's attractiveness for a variety of purposes, but my disdain for it's growing habits on our place keeps me from thinking good things about it!!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Putnam County, NY
    Posts
    3,086
    Supposedly the hedgeapples are great for keeping spiders out of the basement. It is also the only tree alone in its genus. I have some large blanks set aside for either turning or making hand planes if I get the ambition to try. It is bright yellow and mellows to a gorgeous warm glowing brown with time.
    A hedgerow is probably not great for lumber but turning blanks are a must and it makes amazing firewood.
    I could cry for the time I've wasted, but thats a waste of time and tears.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Danville, KY
    Posts
    57
    I have several 7' split wedges of this stuff to make bows out of. Like everyone says, it is extremely hard. The stuff I have has been cut for about 15 years. The thing that makes it one of the best bow woods in the world is that it takes tension and compression well. Most woods will take one or the other well, but not both. When strung a pulled a bow is under compression on the belly and tension on the back.

  15. #15
    It has a fascinating history. The early settlers took advantage of it to form a natural sort of barbed wire. Then, when cheap barbed wire became available, due to its rot resistance it was used as the fenceposts from which to string the wire.

    Can't imagine burning it, as here in the East it's somewhat hard to come by, and it's a delight to turn. Wish I had more of the stuff.

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