I have never worked with Osage Orange. I recently bought a 3x3x24 block for the purpose of building a couple of planes with it . The sawdust after jointing felt like it had a lot of oil.
The wood felt very slick like it is has more oil than other woods. What glue has worked better for you in gluing osage orange?
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Replies
I've never worked with orange osage, but recently laminated two pieces of lignum vitae which is plenty oily. I wiped down both surfaces with methyl hydrate, then glued together with Titebond III. It's been a few weeks and no signs of failure yet.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
(soon to be www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Good question. I fool with it quite a bit for tool handles, walking sticks and other things but have not glued any. Forest Service manuals say it takes glue well.
J
swifty,
I recently made a plane in osage orange, with ebony sole. I used titebond for that, no issues. Also, have used some osage in stripper canoe construction, glued with epoxy (west systems). A friend has made bows out of osage, I believe that he used hide glue to apply reinforcing deer sinew to the outside.
If you are worried, I'd recomment making a trial lamination with the glue of your choice, and see how it does. Your mileage, as they say, may vary.
Ray
Very nice work! I am thinking of using Osage Orange with a sloe of African Blackwood.
Very interesting. I have a lot of Osage here -- use it for fence posts -- but as mentioned, have also made tool handles and other things from it. the density, toughness and stability have always seemed to be a good combination for planes. Are you satisfied with it as a plane wood?Joe
Joe,
I haven't used it enough to tell. I don't anticipate any problems. The osage was a chunk of firewood that I squared up and left to dry in the shop. Checking was minimal, and the billet was still square when I picked it up to make the plane body years later, so I take that to mean it's pretty stable. It's hard as a bone, tho with the ebony sole, that doesn't make any difference in this instance. I'd think it would wear well on its own.
Ray
Yeah I have built quite a few things out of Osage. I've used Titebond and epoxy and plastic resin glues on it with success with all of them. I would forsee any problems with any of these glues.
Kaleo
http://www.craftsmansbrew.wordpress.com
I have made a few bows with osage, maple, hickory and Ipe in various combinations. Titebond III is the glue of choice for the laminates, I have never had a failure.
thanks for the info on Titebond 111. I have it as well as the original
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