Stocking up

[davidinsarasota]

I finished my long term gargoyle project last month, which used up two of my large blocks of Norfolk Island Pine. So I started keeping my eyes open for new bulk carving material.

I came across a big pile of cut logs that included some 18 to 20 inch diameter, 10 to 12 deep N.I.P sections on a city right of way/empty lot, so using one of the larger rounds as a workbench, I got the chainsaw out and squared up a couple of the sections in to blocks. These blocks measure out at about 13 inches cubed--about as large as I want to handle.

I use this squaring method for two reasons: It speeds and evens out the drying process, since most of the early water loss is from the ends, which I slow by melting wax on the ends with a blowtorch. And it helps me make sense of a design I am laying out if I have flat surfaces to draw on and work from.

I also made friends with the guy on the loader at the local brush recycler and asked him to set aside some Rosewood and Mahogany logs for me. He didn't have any Mahogany but he did come across some nice Camphor. I cut off some sections and took them to my newly adopted outdoor workshop and squared them up too.

I still have a couple of good sized blocks of Honduran Mahogany, Brazilian Rosewood and one large N.I.P. to keep me carving while my new stuff dries sufficiently.

[davidinsarasota]

The Camphor is extremely heavy and wet and I can tell it will need to be dried very slowly so I put it into some large ziplock bags. I keep the bags closed until the moisture builds up on the inside, big drops actually, then I open the bag for a few hours, about once a week, until the moisture dries up then reseal the bags again. Hopin' for the best, the Camphor smells fantastic.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Nice find David, plus you made a good friend.

Dave

[davidinsarasota]

Thanks Dave. Yep, gave him an envelope with his name on it and some cash and a big scratch-off ticket. He seemed happy.

[Robson Valley]

Excellent score! I, too, find myself squaring off the biggest pieces of western red cedar that I find. Even splits like 2 x 6 x 24, I try to tidy them up so a centerline makes sense.

Are you going to have trouble with bugs as that wood dries down?

[Sharon of the Dell]

David, sounds like a good idea squaring them up like that.
Nice adopted outdoor workshop too.
I like my climate here (on the cool side), but you guys can really get the nice exotic tropical wood in Florida. I've seen and smelled camphor carvings before, so I'm a little envious but happy for you. Great find!

[davidinsarasota]

Are you going to have trouble with bugs as that wood dries down?

No problems with my older (some 10 and 12 years old) pieces so far, RV. We are in a second floor condo here and I store the wet wood on the cement balcony until it gets noticeably lighter, presumably equalizing with the sixty to seventy percent humidity here in Florida in the spring. Then I bring it inside into the A/C which probably brings it down to twenty or thirty percent.

you guys can really get the nice exotic tropical wood in Florida

True dat, Sharon. Technically we are in zone 9B, but mild winters have allowed a lot of tropical species to grow to maturity here. Also a lot of South American tree seeds are blown up here during hurricanes so we get Honduran Mahogany, Brazilian Rosewood and even Gumbo Limbo, which is one weird tree, not sure how it carves. Check out the squggly map.

[Donsexton]

You lucky dog and I am happy for you my friend. What do you think of beach live oaks?

[davidinsarasota]

Live Oak is by far the most common tree here. Oddly, I've never tried to dry or carve it. Before I got the Foredom, I could not carve the really hard stuff like Oak. It's kind of stringy.

We have Laurel Oak, Live Oak, Water Oak, Shumard Oak and various hybrids, but I've never heard of 'Beach Oak.' Is it common there in the deep south?

[Sharon of the Dell]

Dave, zone 9B here also. what a difference though! We can grow quite a few tropicals, but we just don't get the heat. Plus summer can be pretty foggy.

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/P...72DPI/ca_n.jpg