Osage Orange

[Lee Koepke]

Well, I brought home a section of Osage Orange from our local turners club meeting. I have looked around a bit in the archives, and didnt quite get the answer I was looking for....

What I'd like to know is, can you finish turn a bowl straight from log? Or do I need to rough it first and let it dry out a little? Supposedly the tree has been down for 6 months or so.

Well, thanks!

[Jim Underwood]

You can do either. If you turn it thin enough you can turn it to finish while still a bit green and let it warp. Normally though a lot of us rough the thickness to 10% of the final diameter, then wrap well in newspapers and let it air dry for 6 months to a year. Some folks seal it in anchor seal as well. Some soak in Denatured Alcohol (DNA) bath for several days, then let it air dry.

Lots of ways to to it. Main thing is to control the drying to prevent cracking.

[Roger Chandler]

If you do the DNA soak, then wrap it and put it into a brown paper bag........you will get a more controlled environment which will allow the drying to be more consistent and hopefully, avoid cracking.

[Donny Lawson]

DNA for about 24hrs and then let it drain for about an hour. Wrap it in newspaper,cut a hole where the bowl opening is and place on a shelf for a few weeks and it will be ready to finish.

[Scott Hackler]

The osage orange (or hedge as we call it) around here is fantastic to turn to final thickness and let dry. Our osage doesn't warp at all and although I normally do the Dna soak for all other green woods, I dont soak Osage Orange.

The biggest problem with Osage is get the pith out immediately. It almost cracks as soon as it hits the ground!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with Scott. I have turned a lot of OO to final finish and as soon as it comes off the lathe apply my finish. It seldom moves at all. Scott is also right to get the pith out immediately. About a year ago we dropped a OO tree. The log sit for a half hour or so and was already splitting. I like turning it a lot.

[Kathy Marshall]

I turned a big chip and dip bowl from a chunk of OO that Scott sent me, turned green to finish size, applied some walnut oil and it looks the same today as it did when I put the finish on! It was really nice to turn too!

[Lee Koepke]

Thanks everyone .... I appreciate the input! This particular log has already split right at the pith, but it appears to be a clean line straight through, so I should have some decent meat on either side to make something happen!

I certainly am looking forward to it, all that I have seen before turn out beautiful!!!! Its not something we get in this part of georgia often!

[Prashun Patel]

Jim, can you clarify for me? I've heard conflicting recommendations to rough turn to 10% of FINAL THICKNESS as you advise, and also, turn to 10% of DIAMETER. My gut says it should be the latter, since the larger the piece the greater the possible variance at the rim? But I've heard many say what you advised.

Any help appreciated.

EDIT: I should have read Jim's post better. He said "10% of FINAL DIAMETER". Thanks.

[Paul Heely]

The rule of thumb is 10% of the diameter, so a 10" diameter bowl would be rough turned with a 1" wall thickness.

Paul

[Scott Hackler]

....but.... my experience with Osage Orange negates the need for roughing, drying and finish turning. I turn it to final thickness and finish it. All other woods (except for the mesquite Kathy sent me) are turned to 10% diameter, soaked in Dna, wrapped up in newspaper and returned to the lathe in 3-4 weeks for final turning and finishing.

[Dennis Ford]

I will go out on a limb and say that ANY wood can be turned to final thickness while wet, some will warp a little and some will warp a lot.
I am definetly not saying that all woods should be turned to final thickness, some projects just don't work with warped wood and some others don't look right if warped.

[Cody Colston]

Osage Orange (Bois d' Arc) can be turned from the blank to final thickness in one turning with little warping. It's dimensionally very stable, similar to Mesquite which is another wood that doesn't need to be rough-turned first.

[William Bachtel]

I turn all my Osage Orange from start to finish green or wet no problems whatsoever. Very little movement. Looks great also.