New Bird, Oak Tree, etc.
Onward...
The fall photo to the left reminds me of many moons ago, when I used to pick cranberries for an autumn living. The oaks surrounding the bogs always were like that - leaves in brilliant tatters, full of movement, rustle, and air so chilled and clean that you could taste it. This particular oak is a favorite hangout for red-wing black birds waiting to descend on our feeders. Unfortunately, the tree is growing too large and may soon pose a threat to both the house and the power lines across the street. In short, it may have to come down, and force the blackbirds to look for a different lurking haunt.
But boat builders and cabinet makers are funny people... We tend to look at trees and their demise in a slightly different way than others. My guess is that I'll have to "top" the oak, (start at the top and bring it down in pieces). But such a process can only be done whilst keeping an eye on bending and straight grains. (Contorted grain is perfect for things like the stems, knees, and breasthooks of boats, while straight-grained lumber is better suited for stuff like masts, spars, and furniture.) An example of the latter is shown below.
The "toolbox" is a rambling amalgam of ideas and materials. My design draws from a wide assortment of influences including Shaker, Japanese, German, and American Folk. The woods used are:
- 200 year old soft pine
- "Throw-away pallet pine"
- Mahogany
- Oak
- Home-milled maple
And that takes us back to the oak tree... How are we going to parse and mill that puppy? There are a couple of nice blanket chests hiding in the trunk, but what of the heavy branches? And the questions get worse... Rive or saw? What grain pattern to choose? Would a particular crook be just right for a boat unseen or perhaps undesigned?
Sigh... Such is the stuff of exotic birds, backyard oak trees, and ridiculous hobbies...
See you by the feeders (and perhaps the oak chips)...
CapeCodAlan