Osage Orange build finished

[Fathand]

I just finished a size 0 out of Osage Orange, Englemann, Black Walnut, Birdseye and Curly Maple, all Canadian woods, my 4th guitar.





The whole build can be seen here on Flickr, for those interested.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/194462...77720296630125

It sounds good and I'm trying to load up a video but Flickr is troublesome

[jricc]

Congrats on a real nice build Fathand! Look forward to your video.

[Skarsaune]

Nice!

I have an Osage dreadnought sized set waiting it’s turn. Probably get to it next fall.

[redir]

Nice job. Is the fretboard Osage too?

[Alan Carruth]

Next time try fuming it with ammonia: it darkens the Osage so it doesn't look so 'raw'.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by Alan Carruth

Next time try fuming it with ammonia: it darkens the Osage so it doesn't look so 'raw'.

Thanks, but I really like the colour.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by redir

Nice job. Is the fretboard Osage too?

Yes, fretboard, bridge, headplate, neck strip are all Osage.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by Skarsaune

Nice!

I have an Osage dreadnought sized set waiting it’s turn. Probably get to it next fall.

Be careful with it, my wood wanted to split and tear easily. Sharp tools and pay attention to grain direction. It bent easily though.

[John Arnold]

Osage darkens considerably from exposure. If you like the color when new, I suggest protecting it from UV exposure when you are not playing it.
I have some Osage that was cut in 1982. The color is comparable to walnut, with no hint of the bright yellow associated with new Osage.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

Osage darkens considerably from exposure. If you like the color when new, I suggest protecting it from UV exposure when you are not playing it.
I have some Osage that was cut in 1982. The color is comparable to walnut, with no hint of the bright yellow associated with new Osage.

The older gentleman, with the shutdown sawmill, that sold me the Osage, showed me the osage handles he had turned for his lathe chisels. They were an amazing deep toffee colour. If it turns that colour I'll be happy too. I do always keep instruments in cases when not playing though.

When I first resawed the board it was a creamy ivory colour but in a month it was close to what is is now. It did seem to stop changing when I put a first coat of Tru Oil on it, maybe it blocks UV?

[redir]

Oh wow I didn't know that it started off as a white ivory then turns orange like that? I have seen old Osage that is as John mentioned, looked like walnut in color.

Curious, where did you get the lumber from?

I am friends with a local tree cutter here in VA and have him 'on watch' for a few species one of which is Osage.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by redir

Curious, where did you get the lumber from?

I am friends with a local tree cutter here in VA and have him 'on watch' for a few species one of which is Osage.

There is a local defunct saw mill, the owner, about 85, now lives in town but will meet me there if I call him up. His son took over the farm. He has a barn full of lumber, a lot of Walnut, some butternut, a bit of Osage, cherry, not sure what else. He likes me because he used to listen to me play banjo at The Legion on Sunday afternoons and he knows I build instruments, also I pay him double what he asks.

In Norfolk County, Ontario, we have a Carolinian climate for trees like, Osage, Dogwood, Sassafras, Paw Paw.

Anyway, he had a quarter sawn board about 6.5" wide x 4 ft x 5/4" It had bark on one side and badly checked and split on the ends. I was just able to get a size 0 from it by using the wide back strip, and only have a couple bridge blanks and headplates left.

I didn't enjoy working with the Osage because it seems stringy and likes to split. It made for a great sounding and loud guitar though, it stands up to hard strumming and flatpicking.

[Alan Carruth]

I've always found Osage to be very hard to split, but it certainly is stringy and it's difficult to get a smooth surface on it with planes and chisels. I do a lot of scraping...

[redir]

That's awesome FatHadn. Great to have contacts like that. My tree cutter friend knows of a few very large Osage Orange trees here in Virginia but they are on private property and probably well loved by the owners.

Walnut and Cherry are great woods to build guitars with too.

[Craig Wilson]

Good job, Fathand.

Nice guitar, interesting wood. I didn't realize Osage grew here in the GWN.