The introductory chapters about wood structure, etc, are really good. Black locust the wood database lumber identification hardwood. Apr 12, 2017 the osage indian sisters, from left, minnie, anna and mollie burkhart. A primitive bow takes more care then a modern traditional bow, but they can be a great joy to shoot. Maclura pomifera has been known by a variety of common names in addition to osage orange, including hedge apple, horse apple, bois darc, bodark, bodock, bowwood, monkey ball, monkey brains, yellowwood and mock orange. I do have that book, and i admit that this list needs updating. What i love about the wood is the strength, the resistance to decay and the natural curves, as well as the color.
But, if youve simply got to have the hardest lumber around, then this list is for you. Osage orange staves and billets for the bowyer 319 835 5892. In fact, many archers consider the wood of the osage orange to be the worlds finest wood for bows. Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books. The osage indians struck it rich, then paid the price the. Tropical america west indies, central and south america tree size.
Paint the ends with old house paint to slow the checking. Multidisciplinary fulltext database from over 1,600 publications. Osage orange pen blanks are cut from osage orange aka horse apple, hedge apple, and bois darc maclura pomifera, a hardwood found in southcentral united states. Osage orange firewood, also known as hedge, horse apple or bodark, is one of the best firewood types available. The wood is used for fence posts, insulator pins, treenails, furniture, and archery bows. It also shrinks or swells very little compared to the wood of other trees.
See more ideas about wood species, hardwood and wood. Maclura pomifera is a deciduous tree growing to 15 m 49ft by 12 m 39ft at a medium rate. Extreme sharp tools and careful attention to grain will produce beautiful results. Osage orange is a deciduous tree that grows in the southern and central united states. Texas woodcrafts wood, lumber, turning blanks for sale. John kennicott, both of illinois, were able to promote it with such ease. It is best to cut and split it while it is still green. Dec 15, 2015 no wonder osage orange champions jonathan baldwin turner and dr. On the walking sticks ive made i used boiled linseed oil. Bookflix fiction and nonfiction book pairings for young readers. Upstart components 2pack 14 semi chisel saw chain for oregon s52 chainsaws 14 inch, 38 low profile pitch, 0.
Osage orange has a relatively low modulus of elasticity compared to its weight and modulus of rupture which helps explain why it is sometimes used. Acacia divine authority and spiritual leadership, divine petitions, fidelity, immortality, psychic abilities, protection. Osage orange wood extractives are used for food processing, pesticide manufacturing, and dye making. Commonly used to make archery bows but also for musical instruments, turnings and as a watersoluble yellow dye.
Cant a book exist that features both vivid and accurate pictures, and also solid, usable facts and information on wood species. You can, of course, buy good osage bow staves if you want to fork out anywhere from 60 100 bucks but im a big proponent of cutting your own bow wood. Black locust also bears a close resemblance to mulberry. The wood is very hard, heavy, tough, resilient and takes a high luster. As other tribal lands were parceled out in an effort by the government to encourage dissolution and assimilation of both lands and culture, the osage negotiated to maintain the mineral rights for their corner of oklahoma, creating a kind of. Commonly, the wood of a related southamerican species maclura tinctoria is imported as argentine osage orange. Bodark wood for sale aka osage orange, bois darc, horse apple or hedge. It is often used as fencing because of its very high degree of rot and insect resistance. This is a very common wood in the bottomlands of the nearby brazos river. Research databases wood county district public library. The osage indians struck it rich, then paid the price. This imported wood has the advantage of being available in larger sizes, with boards having less knots and defects than the smaller domestic species, maclura pomifera. Hotter than oak,hickory and any of the other eastern hardwoods. The reputation of such bows spread widely from the land of their makersthe osage indians of arkansas and missouri.
The sapwood of osage orange is narrow and light yellow, while the heartwood is golden to bright orange, which darkens upon exposure. Cut off the last inch of each end,band saw the block into 2. Kennicott claimed that osage orange trees offered more economic benefits to farmers than any other crop. This is the third edition of this site containing nearly twice as many species, higher resolution imagery and more indepth descriptions of each species. The stock photo on the left is from 2012 and is does not represent the quality of stave i have on hand at present. Its hard dense woods are used for archery bows, wood turning and small crafts. Post your experience with osage orange firewood below. Our primitive bows are built to historical standards for a true primitive archery experience. Feb 22, 20 if you can bring yourself to destroy the beautiful wood, osage orange has the highest heating value of all of the american hardwoods, according to my fuels and combustion book. Put it in a reasonably dry place for two or three years until the moisture content equalizes. Abbott, 2 books david grann, 2 books sharon kliethermes, 1 book john joseph mathews, 1 book william francis tanner, 1 book david v. At one time, a plains indian brave would gladly trade a horse and blanket for a bow made of the wood. Osage wood shavings 610 county road 602, loose creek, mo.
Premium osage orange staves these are top quality, premium staves split from large trees with the ends sealed and the bark has been left on. The osage orange has been recorded to heights of over 60 feet and trunk diameters of 4 to 7 feet. Osage orange firewood is known as being an extremely hot burning firewood. This childrens book integrates the biography of maria tallchief with her osage heritage, and her early years growing up on the osage reservation in oklahoma. I grew up on a small general farm in westcentral illinois, where my father had about a quartermile row of osage orange trees, commonly referred to in the area, for obvious reasons, as hedge trees. Its wood is closegrained and similar to locust, and its primary assets are its strength and resilience. Identifying and using hundreds of woods worldwide by.
The author is a former fbi agent and attorney and tells the story from the viewpoint of the fbi who were called in by the osage tribal council to bring the murderers of 17 osage. Eric meier, who ownsruns the wood database web site has now published a really good wood book, called wood. Osage language, a dhaegin language traditionally spoken by the osage nation. Search records, books, serials, and other historical records specific to african americans to trace your genealogy or to do research. Hedge apple, horseapple, hedge, bodark, bois darc yellow wood, mockorange, and bow wood. Chlorophora tinctoria, morus tinctoria distribution. The osage orange tree, very durable and once a favorite of american settlers, deserves a look from modernday homesteaders. The most common test for testing wood hardness is known as the janka hardness test. Trees are symbols of the interconnectedness of life and represent the interwoven web of everything magical.
Wood database and searchable library lumber for woodworking thats packed professionally, shipped right to your door, and guaranteed 100%. Paste a piece of paper on the back of the sapwood side of the squared ends on which to pencil the outline of the joint to be made. The author is a former fbi agent and attorney and tells the story from the viewpoint of the fbi who were called in by the osage tribal council to bring the murderers of 17 osage tribal members to justice. Amazons choice recommends highly rated, wellpriced products available to ship immediately. This is also an educational and historical site on osage orange. Prized for uses ranging from fence posts to highend archery bows, the yelloworange heartwood finds application in wood craft work as well, being used to make turned wood pens and other desk implements as well as knife handles. The wood is also relatively immune from insect and fungis attack. Osage orange lumber is among the densest, hottest burning woods in north america. Considered by many to be north americas most durable hardwood, osage orange is named after the osage indian tribe and the orange refers to fruit of the tree. Wood database and searchable library woodworkers source. Bow woods from a mathematical perspective top ten hardest woods. First, the emc air dried weight of the wood in its native range is 57 lb cu.
Bows of this hard, strong wood even were found by explorers in use as far north. I love the wood but it can be difficult to finish because it will tear out around tiny knots. Identifying and using hundreds of woods worldwide by eric meier 20151010 by isbn. The other method of joining is by means of a bowyers or double fishtail joint. Shipping currently not available to canada or australia. Its wood is closegrained and similar to locust, and its. Osage orange is a highly colored native american hardwood that is widely distributed throughout the midwestern united states and beyond. Nov 24, 2009 i love osage orange, it is an ugly duckling that blooms into a swan. These primitive wood bows are of simple design, but they shoot an arrow great. Sep 25, 2016 a very informative site about the osage orange tree. If you taught the artificial brains of supercomputers at ibm research to write nonfiction prose, and. Osage orange aka hedgeapple is neither an orange nor an apple. The wood itself looks very similar to osage orange, though mulberry tends to be significantly lighter. Osage orange can be identified from similar looking species due to the water soluble yellow dye the wood.
The state library of kansas works with kansas libraries to provide digital library books for all. The poster, worldwide woods, ranked by hardness, should be required reading for anyone enrolled in the school of wood nerdery. Osage orange 2500 granadillo 24502700 jatoba 2350 screwbean mesquite 2335 persimmon 2300. Wood eternal will inevitably take its place alongside its subject matter, the bois darc tree a. The osage nation, a native american tribe in the united states, is the source of most other terms containing the word osage osage can also refer to. I love osage orange, it is an ugly duckling that blooms into a swan. This site includes descriptions and imagery of nearly 60 species of common, and notsocommon, lumber species found throughout the u. All that makes the wood database unique, distilled into one potent book. Maclura pomifera osage orange, bois darc pfaf plant database. Its better than most of the other reference books i have.
Fruit and leaf of osage orange plant from the plants database website. Wooden books the mathemagical ancient wizdom series. Can be confused with osage orange and honey locust in some instances. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The osage indian sisters, from left, minnie, anna and mollie burkhart. There are osage orange called hedge locally fence posts in this area that are over 50 years old, still standing strong. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. This is another wood that is very decay resistant and makes great fence posts. I had recently checked out some wood identification books at the library, and i. I have amassed over 500 wood species on a single poster, arranged into eight major geographic regions, with each wood sorted and ranked according to its janka hardness. The osage orange can be propagated very easily and makes good hedges and also a bushy tree that when loaded with fruit attracts much attention. In the 1920s, the osage found themselves in a unique position among native americans tribes. Osage orange the wood database lumber identification. Heres a quick reference guide the magical and metaphysical properties of more than 100 trees.
Great tensile and compression strength that balance well, wood that doesnt rot even if buried, can bend like a wet noodle once heat is applied. While this is a simple summary, in my book the magic of trees. Bows of this hard, strong wood even were found by explorers in use as far north as montana. Sep 01, 2017 osage orange maclura pomifera, is also known as bowwood, bodark, boduck, horseapple or bois darc. Mulberry the wood database lumber identification hardwood. Finishing osage orange finish and polish for knives i. Below are variety of articles, tables, comparisons, charts and so forth, all dealing with various technical considerations that one may wish to think about prior to commencing a build. Tarpley has poured a lifetime of research into this work destined to become the definitive source for all information related to the tree that contributed so much to our countrys development. Osage glues well, is very strong and stable and is easy to work. This oddly shaped tree does not grow very tall roughly 2649 feet but its wood is extremely dense making it a great firewood choice. Osage orange maclura pomifera, is also known as bow wood, bodark, boduck, horseapple or bois darc.
Osage orange has a long and interesting history of use by both native americans and early pioneers. If you can bring yourself to destroy the beautiful wood, osage orange has the highest heating value of all of the american hardwoods, according to my fuels and combustion book. There is an unusual thornless male form which is clonally propagated. If you let us know if youre looking for, we will select the type of stave that will work best for your special bow building project as far as length and character goes. Osage orange lumber overview, availability and pricing. Osage orange everybody with access to this wood is going to list it in their top favorites, its that good. Turner researched and grew several species of hedging plants and touted osage orange as the best. Maclura pomifera, commonly known as the osage orange, hedge, or hedge apple tree is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 8 to 15 metres 3050 ft tall. Bow woods from a mathematical perspective the wood. The distinctive fruit, from a multiple fruit family, is roughly spherical, bumpy, 8 to 15 centimetres 36 in in diameter, and turns bright yellowgreen in the fall. No wonder osage orange champions jonathan baldwin turner and dr.
Identifying and using hundreds of woods worldwide by eric meier 20151010 by the wood database. Osage, on the other hand, is widespread throughout the midwest and southeastern us from central alabama to oklahoma north to illinois and beyond. Fresh sanding near the end of this osage orange maclura pomifera board has. Aug 14, 2011 osage orange is a deciduous tree that grows in the southern and central united states. It may be the hottest burning and hardest wood east of the rockies. Easy to work with, this wood is very hard, cuts easily and consistently with sharp tools, and has wonderful grain patterns and contrast, giving it a. It was formerly planted as hedgerows or living fences elsewhere on the prairie and reputed to be. If you cant find a book or video in the jwcc online catalog or ishare you can consult worldcat, a worldwide catalog of books and materials. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Commonly, the wood of a related southamerican speciesmaclura tinctoriais imported as argentine osage orange. Osage maria tallchief was the first prima ballerina in the u. Though it appears, at least on paper, that maclura pomifera. I hope to have freshly printed books back in stock in early june.