# Bois D'Arc possibilities



## barecycles (Jan 10, 2012)

On the way home yesterday I saw a stack of wood from a tree that had been toppled and turns out to be a Bois D'Arc (Osage Orange). I loaded up 3 big pieces like the one you see below. I heard this wood is tough to work with but I promptly cut out a section with the bandsaw and it was surprisingly easy to do. Perhaps because it is still green? (or in this case, yeller).

I've started a couple of mallets recently using walnut and cherry but I think I may incorporate some of this instead. I think as it ages and gets darker it will make an attractive looking mallet.


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## PatPollin (Feb 26, 2012)

thats a pretty chunk of wood !


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

It's great for tool handles.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/47593


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Lots of guys like it for it's acoustic qualities and make duck & goose calls out of it.


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## barecycles (Jan 10, 2012)

Thanks Hairy! That's kinda what I was thinking for the mallet.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I use bois d'arc for intarsia and inlay work for it's yellow color.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

This is one of my favorite woods and I haven't found it as hard to work with as I was told. Tonight's trivia: This is the hardest, most dense, and hottest burning wood in North America according to my Hedgeapple expert from Kansas (the hedge capital of North America). Does anyone know if this is a native American wood or was it a French import?


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Gotta remember to let the wood dry before ya try stuff.
By the way, I almost wore out a chain saw cutting the stuff that was dried.
Bill


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## WDHLT15 (Aug 15, 2011)

That will make an awesome mallet!


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## adaughhetee (Jan 20, 2011)

*gfadvm*, It was a native tree and was named Bois D'Arc by french settelers due to the osage indians using it to make there bows.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Thanks for the info. The reason I was curious is I have a client who goes to France to buy horses and she says they have a lot of 'Hedge" in France.


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