Three Men On a Bark Hunt

[Cottonwood]

One pleasant aspect of carving found wood is having the opportunity to get out in the fresh air a hunt for the wood you are going to use. Recently our own Moody Blue, The Flat Plane Carver, and myself, Cottonwood, took that opportunity. Moody Blue and Gregg Thompson( The Flat Plane Carver ) arrived with their tools oviously expecting to do come carving.
After a hearty breakfast we were ready to start.

[Cottonwood]

We were soon off to the Flint hills to look for a big tree and found one that had been hit by lightning that stripped the bark off for us.

[Cottonwood]

Then it was back to town to wash and clean the bark. We found lots of nice pieces but decided to just clean up a couple so we could get to carving!

[Cottonwood]

Removing the outer grainy and crusty layer proves to be tghe most exerting operation here. Note the high tech holding device! That done the carving fun begins.

Good results, lots of fun and great fellowship celebrated.
I hope you all get a chance to try this sometime.

[Claude]

Looks like a fun day! How many square feet of bark do you think you were able to strip off the tree?

Claude

[Cottonwood]

It's hard to say, Claude. Bryan and Gregg were able to take quite a pile home in the pickup truck. All were big thick pieces that one could carve several wood spirits or villages from. For the record, we didn't remove any bark from a living tree.......that would be just tooooo hard of work.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Looks like everyone had a good time ! You are very lucky to be able to go out and find your own cottonwood bark, how far did you have to travel ?

Dave

[Cottonwood]

Dave,
Our town is located between the Neosho and Cottonwood Rivers in eastern Kansas. The Flint Hills are to the west of us. Every creek and valley has cottonwood trees. The vast prairie lands of the Flint Hills that separate the rivers and streams are lush with tall grass prairie habitat. There is one huge tree just about a mile from my house that probably would supply all the bark carvers on this message board with a life time of carving.
I love where I live.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Millard, that sounds very nice, I can see why you love where you live ! I am told there are cottonwood trees here in Fl., I have not seen any myself.

Dave

[Marci MN]

Oh I want to come play at your house!!

My mother has a big old cottonwood in her driveway thats dying.. I've been waiting and waiting for it to fall over. The bark isnt near as thick as yours tho.

M.