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Thread: Osage orange vs. hickory

  1. #1
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    Default Osage orange vs. hickory

    Not mandolin related, but wanting some input from the wood experts out there, and the folks at the cafe have proven to be a great source for information. (I do own a couple of mandolins, so hopefully that will qualify me to ask here.) I have been unable to locate hickory in the size necessary to turn out several singletree blanks for use with draft horses, and osage orange was suggested as being an even better choice. When they are turned, they are approximately 2 1/4" on the ends and 2 3/4" in the middle and approximately 3 feet in length. They are fitted with metal straps on the ends and a metal loop that hooks to a clevis in the middle, and used to pull loads on wagons or sleds in excess of 3 or 4 tons. So do I keep looking for hickory, or would the osage orange be a good replacement? Also, should hickory blanks be sap wood, or will heart wood be satisfactory? I have found sources for hickory blanks, but they are quite a bit smaller. Any information would be appreciated.

  2. #2
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Osage orange vs. hickory

    This site sells blanks. Not sure if this is what you're looking for.
    However, what about laminated wood? I would think it would increase your strength considerably. This being used outside, you'd have to use epoxy glue but it might be a good solution. I used to make canoe paddles and I always laminated the shafts for strength.
    Here is some data on osage. But it might be hard to find in size. Black locust might be a substitute as well as black gum. Both are very hard and resistant to splitting.
    Seems you want tensile strength here.
    Bill
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  3. #3
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Osage orange vs. hickory

    Besides locust, I think white oak and ash would be good woods for the job.
    One of the main reputed differences between hickory and osage is spring-back. When bent, osage supposedly "snaps" back into shape when released whereas hickory is slower to recover. Seems to me that wouldn't make any difference in a singletree (I grew up on an old farm where there were several old ones hanging on the walls of buildings, so I now what they look like).
    Since hickory trees tend to grow tall and straight and osage orange trees tend to grow low and shrubby, it seems to me that hickory would be easier to source than osage(?).

  4. #4
    Registered User Vernon Hughes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Osage orange vs. hickory

    Check out pecan. It's just about the same as hickory and there was more available when I was building some cabinets out of it a while back.
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  5. #5
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    Default Re: Osage orange vs. hickory

    Thanks for the information. I'm sure there are places out there that have what I need, but I haven't found them yet. Thanks for the links, billhay4; I am waiting to hear back from the supply business, as they have some blanks of different sizes, and were going to check their dimensions to see if they were big enough. I thought that finding hickory would not be a problem, but so far it has been. One place had just sawed up a bunch of black locust they had lying around into stove lengths on Monday.

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