Living materials-Handle with care?

Pres10 · #1 07-12-2005, 12:50 AM

Hi folks...
My neighbors sold some of their black walnut burls to the burl mags, and they left a mess, and about 10 lower grade burls. (pretty high grade to me!) After 8-9 months I got my choice of three of them. I recently took the bark off the 1st one and found a little sapling growing out of a knot. It seemed a testament to how much living things will try to live. I cut a chunk off and found a root system inside the knot. Am going to see if it'll keep growing. I come from a metal sculpture background, and working with living materials is new to me.(although I've been know to have more than a few conversations with metal) I'm just wondering if carvers give up a good thought, prayer, ceremony, or the like, for the trees that provide the materials for your art. My guess is, many do, many don't.
The creative process seems to connect me to things bigger than myself, so it seems wise to do so... to me. ]
Comments? Preston. I attached some pics, don't know if they show up.

wade clark · #2 07-12-2005, 10:15 AM

Wow! H A P P Y carving! You've got some beautiful wood there!
How did you remove the bark?
I was told that when sitting up a teepee there is a sacred chant the
brave says. It goes something like this: "I'm hurrying as fast as I can, Little Flower!"
Seriously, though, it's more like meditation to me. As I see the layers I'm in awe at the beauty and the creative process that developed the wood. That's why I like colorful woods with patterns in the grain.
I'd suggest you carve these right away. They will get harder and harder. What ever you carve will be beautiful just because of the wood! So don't worry! Picture something and go for it! They'd sure make incredible table bases, carved into any shape or animal!
Have fun!
Wade

wade clark · #3 07-12-2005, 10:26 AM

Pres10,
Are you sure the seedling is walnut? It's very common , where a limb has been removed from a tree, for dust/dirt/decay to build up in the wound, then a seed from something else, tree, weed or fern, even blackberry, to settle in that dirt and grow. Often the seed is carried in a bird and deposited with its' own batch of "fertilizer" to help it grow!
You could transplant it with great care and see what it becomes.
Take care!
Wade

Ashbys · #4 07-12-2005, 12:00 PM

Nice wood !
Since your use to working with metals, these will have one thing your not use to , grain direction.
If your sawing use a mask. Use protection, walnut does have some qualities which can cause issues.
Now my normal start , is " God , don't let me cut off something I need." You know like fingers , toes, or something I care about, and I never let my wife near me when I am sawing wood!

.

Ash

Pres10 · #5 07-12-2005, 12:36 PM

Yeah, Wade, they look like walnut saplings. I don't know if they are english walnut or black walnut. The tops of the trees are english. Turns out there were two of the saplings, unfortunaly I cut the green from the roots when I tried to remove them. The good news is the roots are about a foot long that were in a hollow part of the english part. Got the roots in good soil in pots and the green part in water with some root hormone. Considering how hardy these have been, I'm hopeful they may grow. As to the hardness of the wood as time passes... after 8-9 month, maybe closer to a year... it's pretty darn hard already. I was asking some questions here about removing the bark... finally I just took a heavy crowbar with a 90 degree end, and a hammer, and ripped between the wood and bark. It only took about 3-4 hours and very little damage to the wood. Of the 3 burls I have, I did the one with the least knots and crevices, so the others may take longer. After I got done though, I started thinking about it... unless I'm just going to just do surface carving, the only advantage to taking off the bark, is to see some of the wood grain, and to use that knowledge when I start rough shaping or cutting into smaller pieces. I'm thinking of cutting this first piece into 2 or three pieces, so that I don't need a tractor to move it around. Thanks, for the responses. Preston.

Irish · #6 07-12-2005, 01:59 PM

Hi Pres10,

The two images are from walnut saplings out of my yard. The first one is an English Walnut and the second is the Black Walnut. English Walnut's have slightly wider leaves then the black, especially at the terminal end ... the very first leave of the branch. These two are both around 16" tall already.

If yours doesn't take, please let me know. I always have walnuts that go begging for homes in the fall. Starting one is so very simple. You just put the walnut on the ground where you want the tree then stomp on the nut. That buries it about half way into the ground ... next spring you'll have a new tree.

Susan

Ky_Whittler · #7 07-12-2005, 02:31 PM

Susan, That is exactly how I have planted well over two hundred black walnuts on my farm. Simplest thing in the world to do. I do the same with white oak too. Just take a pocket full and go for a walk. The oldest are now producing squirrel food , Whittler

Pres10 · #8 07-12-2005, 07:57 PM

Thanks Susan for the post. I still can't tell... if it grows, I'll know eventually. I attached a close up. Preston.

Just Carving · #9 07-12-2005, 08:49 PM

Well, thank ya very much! This stinkin' "peach tree" that I been nursin' and waterin' is nuttin' but a walnut tree! Sheesh!

I was cleaning out my geranium planter last Spring when my trowel hit a "rock". There ain't no rocks in there!?! I dig a little further and I see this black "rock" with a root sticking out of it. OH! COOL! It's a peach pit! I'll plant it and we'll have peaches like we had when I was a kid!

I remember last Summer when I saw the "furry forester" going at it tail and elbows in my planter. Dirt flyin' everywhere! I go out to chase him but he was gone leaving a hole and a mess. I thought he was looking for one of his peanuts. Now, I come to find out he planted me a walnut tree!

Figures! He'll get more out of a walnut tree than an ol' peach tree!

Dumb ol' Squirrel! LOL

Bob

Irish · #10 07-13-2005, 03:11 AM

Pres10, Looks like a Black Walnut to me with it's narrow leaves and the more distinct serration along the edge.

Bob, I think you have to give your furry forester (Love his offical title there) a peach if you want him to plant you a peach pit? Peanuts and walnuts don't often grow peach trees. But I am thoughly amazed that you have such a healthy strong walnut tree in that tiny pot! As Pres10 pointed out they have very, very, very long tap roots. You might want to think about putting that one in the ground ... your furry forester will thank you one day if you do!

Susan