8 foot Butternut Greenman

[Colin-Partridge]

Well even I know that this is too good to be true but I was out carving in shorts today. Temperature in the low 40s a balmy day here in Canada. By next week we will have two feet of snow and back to winter clothing. It was so nice that I decided that I would get on with a commission I recieved last fall. This is an 8 foot Butternut log, the lady who requested the greenman is building a lodge and wants this for the enterance way into the lodge. The carving will be shipped to Kamloops British Columbia Canada when it is finished. Today was just a rough out with the chainsaw to get where I wanted the oak leaves and other facial features. The wood is butternut if the wood was milled and cut into planks it would be worth a fortune as some of my neighbors have told me. They think I am crazy not to sell the log and carve the greenman in something else. The log is pure not a flaw in it. Butternut is a beautiful wood deep brown heart wood and white sap wood and a deep irridesant yellow between the sap wood and the heart wood. The carving is going to be a greenman with oak leaves and acorns. Although I have carved butternut before never anything as big as this. Butternut carves like bass wood but it has beautiful grain I dont know if you can see it in the pictures. I am guessing it will cost me a pretty penny to ship it to BC when it is finished. This is just the start of the carving I will impovise as I go not sure what the beard will look like yet but I do know there will be one. Any comments or constructive critisism is appreciated.
Colin

[squbrigg]

DROOOOOOLLLLL ............ wow Colin, that log is spectacular!!!!! Any more where that came from????? Wear shorts down here and something will freeze and fall off! I'm green with envy over both the weather and the wood!

Bob

[schizoidlogger]

Looking good Colin. Beautiful piece of wood. Maybe it would be cheaper to drive out to BC this summer with the greenman in the back of your truck (chuckle) than flyiing. Does your client insist that it be "in the round"? If you made a giant "v" cut the length of the back it could be stood against a wall etc. and it wouldn't be prone to cracking = still look like a whole log - lighter to ship and you would have some good carving wood left over.

Just a thought.

Merv.

(grin) Nothing as relaxing as using hand tools on a warm day.

[Just Carving]

Hey Colin! Looking good--and in shorts too!! LOL

The carving looks great too! BUTTERNUT?!?!? Wow!!!

If you get any big pieces, hope ya save 'em for some small carvings.

Good luck with the weather. My girlfriend has a Norwegian Elkhound who's usually shedding up a storm this time of the year--ya gotta shovel the stuff up! LOL He hasn't dropped a hair!! Brush the furball and the brush is empty!! He's really got us nervous. I can only imagine what he knows that we don't!!

Bob L

[Colin-Partridge]

Thats why I am carving while I can by this time my black lab is also nothing but a shedding fool. He also is not shedding at all. I never get complacent with the weather in this part of the world I know we have lots more winter yet to come. I think tomorrow I will get my shot gun and go looking for that groundhog. Hope to get some more done tomorrow and will post again.
Colin

[Rwenzoski]

Hi Colin, Looking gpood so far fella! Just a thought as I was looking at the pics is maybe you could tuck a few more longer Oak leaves up under the lower ones that represent his beard & run them down the log more? I hope this weather holds up for us but sure not counting on it either as we could see snow & blowing snow for another mont or so yet easily, just in time for Bob & ST so they don't totally miss our Canuck Winter!
Thanks, Robbin

[dicktilley20]

The last time I saw legs like that Colin, they were on a piano!

The Green fella can get a hold on ya!

Bigger leaves Colin, less work, easier carvin'

Here in the UK its called sweet chestnut, or poor mans oak, chisels carve real good.

Vinegar and wire wool turn it a blue black. Try it on some off cuts.

dick

[Kate]

Originally Posted by dicktilley20

Vinegar and wire wool turn it a blue black. Try it on some off cuts.

dick

I've tested this concoction and you'd be surprised at the colors you can produce with it. If you play with application and saturation you can get some pretty interesting results.

I'm interested in seeing the finished Greenman. I have a fondness for them and have a piece of Cypress plank I hope to carve into one someday. I'll have to invest in something other than micro tools to do it though.

Cute legs

K.

[Al_Hillis]

Good looking Greenman so far there Colin . The weather was super here too and got a lot done out side.
If your serious about the groundhog drop by I know where the sucker lives.
One other thing , how come no spandex ?it would keep the draft from blowing around where you don't want it

[Irishman]

The weather has improved here on the east coast but couldn't imagine wearing shorts yet. Do I understand that you will be shipping that 8 foot log to BC! You must be going with a wooden crate to pull that off. Packaging the log may take as long as carving it. I did a leafy woodspirit a while back but he looked like a lepper. Must try a greenman sometime. Must be nice carving butternut that size.
Patrick