[brianh]

Looks good Colin, you inspired me to make a wood spirit bench.

[Colin_Partridge]

Merle,
No actually is doesnt hurt the tree that much. As long as you dont girdle the tree that is put a carving all the way around it, it should be fine. Actually this tree is going to be cut down it hangs over the neighbors yard and the mulberries end up in their pool and hot tub so they are taking it down just above the carving. Mulberry Tree's are supposedly very hardy as someone mentioned on this thread. It is my first mulberry tree and although hard carves beautiful. As for carvings in live tree's I have done about a dozen of them and I was just out checking two of them today that I did in 2004 and they are still very healthy.
Colin

[Sharon of the Dell]

I love your Gandalf, Tolkiens books are my all time favorites. I think J.R.R. Tolkien would be very pleased with it.

[Merle Rice]

Hi Colin, My Folks had a Mulberry Tree in the back yard. It looked to be the size of your tree,but my DAD would keep it trimed. he trimed it back till it looked like a Palm Tree. The Berries were a problem, but worse after they go through the Birds. Finaly he cut it down,no more trimming. Thanks for explaning about not harming the tree. Merle

[Colin_Partridge]

Just go back and finished up the carving the customer was really happy. The carving is stained with Sikkens Cetol 1 Cedar. I will give it another coat of Cetol 23 next week sometime. Now it is time to get back to that angel I will probably finish that up tomorrow.
Colin

[Bob's Birds]

Colin,
Gandalf is one of your best spirits I have seen so far. Maybe we need to visit people more often to get those creative juices flowing.
I am starting a carving tomorrow Pm at a neighbours down the street. You should be able to find me if you drop by from the sound of the chainsaw.

Bob

[Ashbys]

Fantastic carving Colin !

You really working out of the box !


Love it !

Ash

[mateo]

Colin, I know this is a long dead thread, but I am working on carving a live mulberry. I was hoping I could talk you into posting some pictures of your older tree carvings. So I could see how the tree responded to the stress. I live on a 400 acre soybean farm in central Indiana with probably a thousand mulberry trees, but still feel guilty about torturing it. Also your above mentioned staining technique is it applicable for live trees as well as topped trees? Thanks!
Matt

[Keoma]

Fantastic Colin! He's incredible!