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10th November 2013, 06:23 PM #1
Osage Orange / Black Locust (??) Burl
Whilst on my travels (see https://www.woodworkforums.com/f125/a...nd-aus-176921/) I called in to see my brother at Murchinson. He had cut down a tree for firewood about 8 months ago and offered some to me if I wanted it. He described it as yellow timber when cut, straight grained, definitely not a eucalypt but hard. It was a big tree and most of it had been cut into firewood sizes in a big pile. It didn't look anything spectacular but I noticed there was a burl , so found a bit more room in the trailer to fit it in , even though it had a few odd chainsaw marks.
OO burl.jpg
Well I am at 's at the moment and I decided to get the burl out and slice it up to determine what it was. To my delight I found it was Osage Orange (edit - well maybe not, perhaps Black Locust - see below posts). I managed to get 2 bowl blanks, 1 long (75x75x350 in left hand top corner of photo) one short pepper grinder blanks, enough large pieces for 4 cast std pepper grinder blanks, a few handle & bottle stopper blanks, quite a few pen blanks and some more part pen blanks for casting.
burl offcuts.jpg
I also got a slice from the large bowl blank when I levelled the base, this photo shows the true colour best.
OO burl slice.jpg
I immediately rang my brother to ensure he hadn't burnt it during the current cold snap and was relieved to hear he hadn't. He said the biggest length amongst the pile was probably only a metre, but I am seriously considering emptying the trailer and getting a lot more, although would need to sell it as I can't store it here nor take it with me.
It has been raining a fair bit over the last few days, so decided to fire up one of 's lathes to rough out the bowl blanks.
OO blank1.jpgOO blank1 roughed.jpgOO roughed bowls1.jpgOO roughed bowls2.jpgOO roughed bowls3.jpg
The bigger bowl is just under 300mm dia, so I can finish them both on my little travelling Woodfast. I will need to wait a while for them to dry a bit more before finishing them, maybe by the time I get to WA .
I also found an old broken chisel handle in 's bin that was ringed Gidgee . I already have heaps of pen blanks, so decided to made a thumper stick, for when I catch one of the huge fish on my travels . The fiddle was amazing.
gidgee thumper.jpg
CheersNeil____________________________________________Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new
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10th November 2013 06:23 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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10th November 2013, 06:48 PM #2
Thumper?
It's a priest Neil. It administers the last rites. AKA Captian Snooze. Godd pickup.Michael
Wood Butcher
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10th November 2013, 07:06 PM #3
good find there neil
safe travels
cheers smiife
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10th November 2013, 07:07 PM #4
Luverly bit-a-wood there mate and some thrifty milling to boot.
Regards Rumnut.
SimplyWoodwork
Qld. Australia.
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10th November 2013, 07:42 PM #5
I thought it was a Bed Snake Bat!
…..Live a Quiet Life & Work with your Hands
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11th November 2013, 09:01 AM #6Senior Member
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You are no doubt aware that Osage Orange is probably the best timber for making bows. Pity the cut tree does not include longer lengths so you would sell it for a small fortune as it is reasonably rare in Australia. We have an Osage Orange tree here at an old homestead site near Hall with the local bow makers occasionally cut of limbs.
Graham
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11th November 2013, 09:29 AM #7
How did I miss snaffling that ringed Gidgee handle? I have rescued that several times when tried to throw it out. Glad it did nat remain in the bin this time either.
anne-maria.
Tea Lady
(White with none)
Follow my little workshop/gallery on facebook. things of clay and wood.
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11th November 2013, 09:37 AM #8
Great update on the find and that includes the one from 's bin. This begs the question if is throwing out (rubbish wood) Gidgee what type of highly prized wood is he keeping?
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11th November 2013, 11:33 AM #9anne-maria.
Tea Lady
(White with none)
Follow my little workshop/gallery on facebook. things of clay and wood.
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11th November 2013, 06:48 PM #10
Yes Graham I was aware. I was advised here on the forums when I scored 6 logs of it I ages ago half way between Canberra and Sydney. They were 1.5-2m long & ~300-400 dia, but they were badly cracked, as they had been out in a paddock cut for ~20 years. I sliced them up into 50mm slabs to make rocking chairs out of. I often get bow makers begging me to part with some of the better slabs.
Yep, that's the oneNeil____________________________________________Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new
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11th November 2013, 07:57 PM #11
The Osage.
Hi Neil & Others,
I have Looked & Looked at that Burl, & I'm hoping that it is the Photo, that has spoiled the colour.
I've been turning O/O today & mine is Very Very Yellow, nothing as pale as you 2 pieces are.
The 3rd. Photo certainly has the colour, but maybe that is what a O/O Burl looks like.
O/O will go very dark after a few years in the Daylight. I have a Acorn Sewing Tidy done back in the early Nineties, & it is quite dark now.
I keep my Shavings for the Ladies who Dye Wool.
Some will know that Older Our Army Uniforms are the result of the O/O Shavings, as it comes out Khaki ??.
Still, a great job on both of those pieces.Regards,
issatree.
Have Lathe, Wood Travel.
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11th November 2013, 11:05 PM #12
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12th November 2013, 07:02 AM #13Senior Member
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Osage is a wonderful wood. If I had to guess from the pictures, I would have guessed black locust. It is a more yellow/green color. Osage, is also known as hedge apple, or hedge trees, and another variation comes from French bo d arc or hill billy bo dark meaning bow wood. I guess the biggest difference would be in the fruit. Osage has a baseball to softball sized fruit that looks like a green brain, all wrinkly. The Black Locust has seed pods almost like peas, though the seeds are a lot smaller. Both are hard and rot resistant. Both oxidize out to a nice dark amber color. Good wood score.
robo hippy
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12th November 2013, 08:39 AM #14SENIOR MEMBER
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I would of said black locust burl too....especially with that black line around the white wood. maybe just the photo.
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12th November 2013, 07:07 PM #15
Hmm Black Locust, can't say I know the timber, but looking at Google images it could well be. is also thinking you could be right. There is a distinctive black line between the heartwood and the whitish sapwood, plus yes it is a greeny yellow timber not the bright yellow I am used to for OO.
Assuming you guys are on the money, is it worth going back for more of the straight grained trunk/branch pieces to flog off?Neil____________________________________________Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new
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