How many of you all saw Osage Orange " hedge" logs on bandmill ?

[RayMO]

I have a chance to log off some huge solid 24"-30+" Hedge trees and am wondering if it is worth the trouble to haul them home and saw some of them. I have sawn a few smaller ones and the crotches were very nice .

Good market for the tops cut into fire wood .

Thanks in advance for any input, Ray.

[ely]

I like sawing the wood, I saw it dry or I saw it green. if you saw it dry you may need goggles and a resprirator, the dust effects some folks in a negative manner.
the wood is very nice.

[dboyt]

Osage Orange is some of the most onrey wood I've ever worked with.  Straight logs are rare, and the boards tend to crack and split as they dry.  That being said, go for it!  The wood that you do mill will have beautiful grain and color.  It is a challenge to work, but if you keep your tools sharp, you'll be fine.  I have been criticized for using valuable exotic hardwood, when it was actually just local hedge (that's what we call it-- they call it bodark down in Arkansas).  Wood turners particularly value the roots, so if the trees have been dozed over, get some of those, as well.

I use a 3/4" pitch blade on my Norwood mill, and it seems to work well, but others have reported success with conventional 7/8" pitch with a 4^o tooth angle.  Whatever you use, keep it sharp! 

[RayMO]

Thanks for the input . I may give them a go as soon as i get caught up on a couple of better jobs.

[hackberry jake]

they call it bodark down in Arkansas

This is true! The ones I have cut, cut like butter. A little slower than softer woods but faster than hickory or oak. The wood doen't have much "spring back" so you can get away with minimal set in the teeth.


  


  


  

  

  

 

[RayMO]

I bet you wont break that handle any time soon  ;D

[gfadvm]

Hackberry Jake, That is some great looking hedge!

[5quarter]

Hedgeapple Jake...I never tire of looking at those pictures!

[isawlogs]

Bois d'arc is what it was called, in French, then it was just taken up in English as bodark. 

Bois d'arc is translated to:  bow wood, long bows where highly regarded when made of this and are still highly sought after.   

[RayMO]

Good info .Good hand split Osage bow staves are still selling good here in the states .

[dboyt]

Jake, are you trying to give LogRite a run for their money?  That is one nice looking cant hook!

[pineywoods]

Bodoc is not that common here. Most of them look like this. I save every scrap, nothing discarded but bark and sawdust. Good for all sorts of small projects..



  

[Tom the Sawyer]

Have enjoyed milling what little hedge I get.  I get many more requests for hedge than logs I can find.  We have lots of hedge, most in field boundaries - crooked and twisted, making a formidable thorny barrier.  Around here, if they are straight and get up to 6" or so they get cut for posts long before reaching saw log size.

This client cleaned up a field with hedge, eastern red cedar, elm and a few walnuts. 


 

In addition to the boards, he even took home the slabs.  The hedge had very pretty color and grain.


 

[gfadvm]

Tom, I am so envious of that load of hedge! Of course he took the slabs home. It's the hottest burning firewood there is. Now I need to find some big hedge.......

[WDH]

Nice wide boards.  Very valuable, for sure.

[dboyt]

I've gotten some pretty good hedge logs by searching Craigslist for hedge posts.  Sometimes folks get hedge logs that are too big for posts and they're glad to get rid of them, since it saves them the time of cutting & splitting them for firewood (pick them up, and they'll be even cheaper).  Of course, you can't be too picky, but that's part of the game.


 

[WDH]

I wish that more of it was available here. 

[gfadvm]

dboyt, Now I'm really envious!

[dboyt]

Gfadvm, it's out there.  There should be some decent hedge over your way.  If not, PM me & I'll see if I can scrounge up some more around here.

[gfadvm]

dboyt, There used to be lots of hedge around here but no more. Mine came from Ks and that's too far to drive. I do have my son in law on the trail of some about 40 miles South of me in the "big ranch" country. Locust is the other wood that I never see anymore. Used to be everywhere (planted for fence posts).

I did get 3 big cottonwood logs today but don't consider them much of a 'treasure'.

[Darrel]

This looks very much like the juniper that grows so prevalently in eastern Oregon and the north east corner of California.  The US Forest Service will let you have all you want with very little cost to you.  I think you pay $20 for 18 six foot logs.  The thing of it is there is a heckuva lotta work to get them.

[scully]

I hear it is great stuff for mallets and other handles etc . as seen on that cant hook handle . I helped a friend get a log sawn for this purpose . I gt a couple 2x4's out of it and they are beautiful ! Wish I could get a truck load of those logs !

[NWP]

I ran a bunch of posts through the firewood processor that I couldn't sell. Probably would have been good lumber. I never really thought about anyone using hedge. I've got a semi load and a half of hedge logs on the yard now. I'm not sure if any would be worth sawing or not. This particular logger I got it from was trying to get me to take 3-4 more loads of it.

[warbowyer]

Hi everyone, I am looking for a supplier of Osage Orange "hedge" logs or sawn boards. I make bows for a living and based in the UK. I could arrange collection easily. Also looking for good quality Hickory.

Can anyone help or recomend someone?

[LeeB]

Try posting this in the wanted section.

Hi everyone, I am looking for a supplier of Osage Orange "hedge" logs or sawn boards. I make bows for a living and based in the UK. I could arrange collection easily. Also looking for good quality Hickory.

Can anyone help or recomend someone?