| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| NorthernMonkeyGirl |
3-5" diameter holly and ashI did some gardening, and have two more lumps of tree. Is there anything that could potentially be carved or whittled by someone with zero experience and meagre tools?I'd like to try a flat spatula or spoon at least... and I need a fruit bowl. Fruit canoe? 
The holly is the bigger diameter if that helps. |
| Rusticwood |
The holly is prone to splitting and cracking during seasoning and will be hard to work. Ash would be easier to work and seasons better.
You will find it easier to carve/whittle it wet. Depending on diameter you might be able to do a bowl/canoe but split the wood along the length so you don't have the pith in the bowl. spoons and spatulas can be whittled easily |
| NorthernMonkeyGirl |
I could always resort to a spurtle I suppose 
I will post pics if/when we have a crack at it. How long is it considered "green" after felling? |
| Mistress Rose |
It depends on how it is stored. If you want to keep it as long as possible, leave it completely uncut and in a cool slightly damp place. You might get some spalting (fungus patterns in the wood) but as long as the wood is still firm, they won't matter. You can also seal the ends of the lumps of wood with wax, pva glue or something similar to stop the sap evaporating.
The best thing to do to minimise cracking is, as Rusticwood says, split it in half for the fruit canoe, and quarters for everything else if it is big enough, but halves will just about do. Try to slowly dry the fruit canoe in particular by keeping it wrapped in newspaper in a cool place. If you have to leave a part finished item for any length of time, some people put them in a plastic bag in the freezer (thaw before working again), but I have never tried that. Spatulas, spirtles and spoons are not too difficult, but you might have fun with the bowl of the spoon if you have to use a pen knife or similar to carve it. There are special spoon knives with a curved blade available, but they are not the cheapest to buy, so you might like to persevere with the pen knife. |
| Shan |
We have loads of Alder. Doing a wood cutting weekend next weekend if anyone wants me to save them a log? |
| tahir |
Alders good for mushrooms I believe, fancy a go? |
| Shan |
Hmmmm, I think we are the one part of the UK that is devoid of mushrooms. 
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| Shan |
I assumed you meant edible ones then I twigged that you might have meant the other sort (darning mushrooms)? 
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| tahir |
I meant grow your own:
https://www.gourmetmushrooms.co.uk/ |
| Shan |
Heavens no... I have enough trouble focusing on the veg garden at the moment, without providing myself with any more reasons to procrastinate and dither. |
| NorthernMonkeyGirl |
*looks outside*
Cool and damp currently not a problem
Will keep plotting, thanks |
| gregotyn |
I once started a mushroom for a neighbour using a chain saw; it however had other ideas and became a chopping block and has been my constant companion for around 15 years of chopping firewood. The top has almost become a mushroom shape, due to the constant battering with the hatchet! We have a local itinerant who has put down roots on a layby about half a mile out of Llanfyllin, by the old workhouse, and he makes superb mushrooms using a chainsaw.
If I were to decide to do some wood calving now I would go to a class at the local college and find out if I liked it first. Regarding tools they are available at high costs, but if you do local shows then often there are stalls with odd tools on them relatively cheap. I am going to a show at Builth Wells at the w/e and there will be a stall where they specialise in refurbishing tools, and I usually get a something that I can't do without. It is a charity called "Tools for Africa". Tools are shipped out there and either used by locals or in the case of wood working tools refurbished, returned to the UK and sold to help provide training for Africans in the UK; they then go home and help and train others. |
| Mistress Rose |
We also have someone doing chainsaw carving in a layby not too far from us Gregotyn. The Tools for Africa organisation works round here too, and one of the Dorset Coppice Group members keeps an eye on what they are given as some of the woodworking tools are very good. They pull our tools likely to sell well here and use that money to buy new tools, as well as sending out others. Seems very worth while. |
| gregotyn |
Yes it is a good thing, Mistress Rose, I buy whatever even "just might come in" when I see them at a show. They also take on tools from donors, so plan A, is to take a few odd bits with me to the show as well as buying-they do knackered spades and sledge hammers all sorts in fact. My attitude is that they will help themselves with the education of "how to" rather than the theory of repair! |