[TheForge] I need a piece of tree...

[Andrew Vida]

Basswood is generally accepted as the best wood for the purpose.  The 
one thing I don't like about it is that, while very easy to carve, it is 
soft and not very durable.  It used to be the wood of choice for 
printing blocks.

Speaking of which.... I've been looking for good rock maple for about 3 
years (if you can beleive that...) for a butcher block for Bibi.  A 
friends son-in-law runs a mill here and bingo.  I've just not been 
emotionally prepared to pay almost $1000 for enough good maple for a 
block.  Now to find a shop in which to build it... :(

dan tull wrote:
> Mulberry( member of Osage Orange family) would be too hard to carve.
> Bass wood best for carving. IMHO
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron Childers" <munlaw2 at hcsmail.com>
> To: "'Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA'" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2008 9:37 AM
> Subject: RE: [TheForge] I need a piece of tree...
> 
> 
> Saint Phillip,
> 
> I forgot to mention sassafras and mulberry trees are part of the mess I 
> have
> to clean up from the storm. Sure, I can send her a piece. Does she want it
> dead or alive?
> Ron C
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Saint Phlip
> Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2008 9:23 AM
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: [TheForge] I need a piece of tree...
> 
> A friend of mine is looking for a piece of sassafras to give her
> mother for Christmas. Her mother is a wood carving hobbyist, and would
> dearly love a piece of sassafras wood  to learn to carve. Do any of
> you folks have a chunk in your wood piles that might be good for her?
> This is what her daughter said:
> 
> "A piece of a tree would be a wonderful thing.  Boards would not be
> ideal, she has done some chip carving but it's not "her thing." She
> much prefers to work in the round as it were, and with pieces small
> enough to hold in her hands.  So, anything from about 1.5" diameter
> and up would be great.  If it's too wide for her to hold she just
> splits the wood until it's a manageable size. (I suppose she could
> work with pieces as small as 1" diameter, I've not asked and I don't
> want to give away the surprise - if I find some.)  Length is not so
> much an issue.  She talks about carving walking sticks, but I've never
> seen her make one, she generally carves figures anywhere from 1" to
> about 10" tall."
> 
> If any of you have a chunk that would work, please let me know and
> I'll get you in contact with the daughter.
>