Help define tree-BARK

[woodspiritslover]

Hello overseas friends,

please let me bug you once more. Although my english is pretty good (I think) I need some more explanation of the word "tree bark" Head Bange . I have purchased many woodcarving books (since no chance of live lessons here -Hungary- for me) among those the book of Jack A. Williams, Rick Jensen Carving Tree Bark/Whimsical Houses. I m not sure if we are talking about the external layer of the tree shaft or something else. In case it means the external layer of the tree-body then this is never thick enough and I find it quite soft to carveHammer .
Any advice by whimsical houses experts would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You , see you around.

[BobD]

Hello from across the pond!

Here in the states, cottonwood bark is VERY thick. I've seen pieces of bark that can be 10cm or more thick. The cottonwood bark is relatively dense (not as dense as wood, but more dense than ordinary bark), and stable throughout.

With the problems people have had lately trying to import and export wood products, I'd suggest that you try to recreate the houses in lime, or some other relatively soft wood (I'm not familiar with what you have in your area).

Bob Duncan
Technical Editor

[woodspiritslover]

Thank you Bob. I never thought that such a thick bark may exist. Would you please get for me the latin name of lime? That would help me to locate the local name of it. Looking forward to your reply. Mary

Originally Posted by BobD

Hello from across the pond!

Here in the states, cottonwood bark is VERY thick. I've seen pieces of bark that can be 10cm or more thick. The cottonwood bark is relatively dense (not as dense as wood, but more dense than ordinary bark), and stable throughout.

With the problems people have had lately trying to import and export wood products, I'd suggest that you try to recreate the houses in lime, or some other relatively soft wood (I'm not familiar with what you have in your area).

Bob Duncan
Technical Editor

[BobD]

Here you go!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilia

Bob

[artolver]

Mary, I never heard that, before Rick put it in the book. I have always used like Alder bark, Birch bark, Cottonwood bark, Dogwood bark, Fir bark etc... Cottonwood bark is the bark is what they are using. Black Cottonwood can be found in the largest parts of North America.
I would guess, there are groves of Cotton along most rivers of Europe...
artolver
thebarkguy

[redbird46]

Mary, according to Wikipedia our Cottonwood is a Poplar and you are supposed to have the Black or Lombardy Poplars available near you. They have a thick/coarse bark that can be peeled from a tree and easily carved.
Jr.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lombardy_poplar

[artolver]

Jr.,
I don't think I would send anyone out to look for Lombardy bark to use for carving.
I have been carving cottonwood bark 35+ years. The bark that I carve is a very different from lombardy.
Poplar.... ? wikipedia ditto??? Aspen would be more like cottonwood and they are found the same neighorhood. The aspen has a slick skin mostly, but the rough gray skin developes around the branches. I have carved those Aspen gray pieces and were a lot like cottonwood.

[woodspiritslover]

Guys thank you very much. The info was quite helpful to locate the equivalent wood in this part of the world. I m not sure I will find thick bark but this won't turn me off from trying to carve those beauties of whimsical house. Have a great day all of you!

[Jesse's Joy]

Re: woodbark
I have a book"Carving Tree Bark" by Rick Jensen and jack a Williams.
In they offer Sources for cottonwood bark: The Bark Guy, "Art Olver" 568 Valentine Ave S.E. Pacific WA 98047
E-mail: artolver@comcast.net

The Old Buzzard's Bark, "Gary Ensign" 1817 Sudlow, Miles City, MT Tel: 406-234-2109

Rick Jensen, 720 Pine St Crookston, MN 56716, E-mail: jrjensen@gvtel.com

[Jesse's Joy]

Cottonwood bark is expensive to purchase but I recently found out I can take my completed carvings to Germany as it is not a protected species. It is of the genus:Populus spp. good luck