Replies

1. 
   patternmaker | Oct 09, 2004 01:14am | #1

   John: This is a very durable wood.It works fairly easy when it is green.In my boyhood on the farm,my uncles used it for single trees and double trees for their horse drawn equipment. As I remember,the metal fittings were fited and installed while the wood was still green.There was virtually no shrinkage on drying,so the fitings stayed tight on the ends.

   It makes a very fine mallet for work with chisels and carving tools,I have also used it to make a few "billy clubs" for friends in law enforcement.Thank you,Mr.Croney,where ever you may be.

   Work safely ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬PAT¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

   
   

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   Edited 10/8/2004 6:23 pm ET by Pat

2. 
   KeithNewton | Oct 09, 2004 02:11am | #2

   The wood is bright yellow when you first cut into it green, but it oxidizes to various shades of brown. It is in the mulberry family which is less dense wood but is also yellow. Bois D'Arc is the name that the first french explorers that came down the Mississippi River from Canada in the late 1600's gave it. That supposedly means Bow wood.

   I read an article a while back that said it once was much more widespread in range, but had shrank back to Ark, Ok, an Tx because the mastodons, and woolly mammoths were the main distributors of the seeds, which as you all know had become extinct.

   My dad was the son of a blacksmith farmer was born in 1910 said that it was one of the favorite woods for wagon wheels, and even some of the first auto wheels.

   The largest one in Arkansas is at Arkansas Post which was the first settlement in Arkansas.

3. 
   tufenhundel | Oct 09, 2004 02:41am | #3

   I was in a shop that worked with osage orange.  A table that one guy made had a chatoyance under the display lights that was very striking.  But it is a PITA to work with, as it was almost impossible to get a board more than 3-4 inches wide.  You get a lot of wasted material milling it for casework.

4. 
   JohnT8 | Oct 09, 2004 07:47am | #4

   I don't remember ever seeing it listed in a plant catalog.  Is it available commercially, or do you just find someone with the apples lying about?

   jt8
1. 
   KeithNewton | Oct 09, 2004 04:32pm | #5

   There are male, and female trees.

   The females are the ones that have the big ball.

5. 
   ron61 | Oct 09, 2004 05:40pm | #6

   Hedge Apple , Osage Orange, Bois d' Arc

    There are still Hedge Rows in the Ozarks, it grows every where

    The Wood is very heavy & hard and as you know , few woods have a higher Density, Hedge  fence corner post  can last 50 to 100 years in the ground.

   One use for Hedge were Bows - highly prized by Osage Indians , French explorers named it  Bois d' Arc   which means " wood of the bow "

   I have made  bows from it , and makes the best all wood bow.

   If you have worked with Hickory , Hedge is like the worst gnarly knotty heartwood hard as a rock Hickory you ever worked.

   Lots of wild grain, drying cracks and splits , tons of knots , will for sure dull tools. Be careful on the saw will bind on the blade, Bandsaw or Table saw.

   I have turned Hedge  on the Lathe you need sharp tools , makes a great Mallet Head.

   Gluing ? 

   Ron