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So…..This is Osage burl

R

Richard Elliott

Joined
Aug 28, 2021
Messages
22
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22
Location
Versailles, MO
About a year ago I posted this picture of an Osage orange tree with several burls on our farm.

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This tree still lives as I took the good advice of the forum to not harvest it until I had time to promptly process it (I’m not yet retired). But, my curiosity was piqued so I asked a local woodlot if they ever came across Osage burl. He led me to this chunk and asked me $20 for it.

E346B1A0-3395-4491-A7A2-17B5FF54C217.jpeg

So, I knew I needed to cut blanks and get them roughed out but had no idea how the grain of an Osage burl looked (I had only been able to find one image online of an Osage burl bowl). I decided to turn some reference pieces since this chunk was semi-dry. I cut three smaller blanks to turn in different orientations and forms. This is what I found.

A02840F2-EFE6-44B9-B9E0-3E9205D29310.jpeg

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The lid of the vessel is turned with surface of the burl to the right. On the vessel I just did get to a smooth surface on the top front side. The bowl is turned so the outside of the top left quadrant as it appears in photo is natural burl surface. What you see inside bowl is within 1/8” of breaking through in places.
Overall I am a bit disappointed that the patterns aren’t more dramatic. Where the bark inclusion crease on the vessel knits into solid wood is the most interesting to me.

Finally, these pieces are unfinished. They are sanded to 600 and are velvety smooth to the touch. Is there a finish that will preserve the feel of the wood without immediately darkening it?
Thanks for looking.
 
It’s hard to see the grain pattern on the vessel lid, but I see some drama in the bowl! Almost has the look of black cherry burl, albeit orange. The inclusion grain is pretty cool as well. I think when you apply some finish the patterns will pop even more. Maybe try hemp or lemon oil if you don’t to dark men it much.
 
I love the look of Bo Doc . Don't worry about the darkening of a finish as it will turn a very rich chocolate brown. This was not very long after turning but long enough to start to see the deep browns. Water based finishes do not darken as mush as oil base but it is something you have to live with.IMG_7673.JPG
 
Dave, thanks for the info. I was so intent on making the photos rotate in the post I didn’t even think of doing it in my phone before including! I’ll blame it on the time change.

Michael, thanks for your comments. While I have used linseed oil, both boiled and raw, and a couple different walnut oils and saw how they add an amber, darker tone I knew I wanted to try to avoid them. I’ve not tried hemp or lemon oil. Where do you source them?
 
Richard Elliott said:
Dave, thanks for the info. I was so intent on making the photos rotate in the post I didn’t even think of doing it in my phone before including! I’ll blame it on the time change.

Michael, thanks for your comments. While I have used linseed oil, both boiled and raw, and a couple different walnut oils and saw how they add an amber, darker tone I knew I wanted to try to avoid them. I’ve not tried hemp or lemon oil. Where do you source them?
Click to expand...
Nice! Osage is one of my favorites and will darken to a beautiful medium brown over the years, just getting more beautiful. Too bad it's a rare find here in NC!
 
You're certain with the species? Has a look of mulberry to me. The end grain of osage is much more defined. I find osage is a lot brighter yellow and mulberry burls are much more prevalent than osage.
The picture is an osage bowl 25-30 years old.
 

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A club member just gave me a piece of Osage orange. It was a pretty big log ~20 x 12, a little less than a half-round. I starting cutting it up and found that it was full of cracks, even hidden ones. By the time I cut out all the dangerous sections I only had several small pieces with one "big" one that produced a bowl about 6 x 4. Even that had a couple of small occlusions/cracks. May be it was just the log he gave me. From the outside it looked pretty good.....until I started cutting into it. It said it was about 5 or 6 years dry.

It's really hard wood. So turns to a nice surface. I love the yellow, but when in turns brown later, not sure I'll like it. I think the smaller pieces will make nice dyed finials. But I won't be seeking out more of it. Though it is plentiful in this area.
 
Don't worry so much of the wood getting darker with an oil finish, Osage Orange will get darker if you like it or not.

I'll show you a couple pictures of Osage Orange that I turned in 2001 and 2002, as I still have two of these here, I just now made new pictures and place them with the older pictures as to show they look now, even te bottom part that basically never sees the light is darker, albeit less than the parts that do get daylight on them, as the pictures shows.
Osage bowl.jpg 2001 turned and even the bottom is darker.jpgOsage color change.jpgOsage color after 20+ years.jpg
 
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@Richard Elliott woodcraft here in Chattanooga sells a nice hemp oil. I can’t remember the name of the brand off the top of my head. Lemon oil I’ve only been able to find online. That said, like others mentioned, Osage will brown considerably over time. It’s a nice aged brown though, in my opinion.

Also, in my opinion, that is definitely Osage orange and not mulberry. The color is very similar to the stuff I’ve worked with in the past. I’ve not turned mulberry, so I can’t speak in that one.
 
Thanks for all the responses and information!

Gerald, very nice bowl! What finish did you use and how long ago?

Richard, yes I am sure it is Osage. Here is a view of the opposite side that has more typical grain. And Tom in this view you can see the beginning of checking even though I kept it wrapped in plastic when not working on it.8FB5EF72-28E1-447F-BC49-BEE8D82ACE6F.jpeg
Also Richard what finish did you use?

Leo, thank you for pictures. Those are beautiful bowls and since my wife doesn’t really care for the yellow I guess we will just enjoy the slow transition. I’ll ask you the same question though, what is your finish on these bowls?

Michael, I will be searching online for some new finishing options this evening. Here is the outside of the bowl. Not sure I really like it but it is interesting. 1B57A693-8B7D-4FA0-9817-71018FC1EA38.jpeg
 
Don't worry so much of the wood getting darker with an oil finish, Osage Orange will get darker if you like it or not.

Richard Elliott said:
Thanks for all the responses and information!

Gerald, very nice bowl! What finish did you use and how long ago?

Richard, yes I am sure it is Osage. Here is a view of the opposite side that has more typical grain. And Tom in this view you can see the beginning of checking even though I kept it wrapped in plastic when not working on it.View attachment 47792
Also Richard what finish did you use?

Leo, thank you for pictures. Those are beautiful bowls and since my wife doesn’t really care for the yellow I guess we will just enjoy the slow transition. I’ll ask you the same question though, what is your finish on these bowls?
Click to expand...
Richard I always use pure Polymerized Tung Oil as my finish.

I made this picture a few years ago, to challenge those that think they can tell if it is Osage Orange or Mulberry by just looking at a picture.

I never did get any takers.

which is what.jpg
My ID-ing goes with the wood that still has the bark on it, as Osage Orange has Orange in the bark, maybe that was the reason to call it Osage ORANGE, Mulberry does not have that.

Osage log bark is orange inside.jpg Osage is called Orange for a reason.jpg Osage bark shows the orange.jpg
 
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I understand! I’m not far behind you and haven’t been turning nearly as long as you but since I’ve started using a variety of finishes I struggle to keep track of what I used even a couple of years ago.
Thanks for your comments
 
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