Steve Mawson
08-18-2010, 10:23 PM
I belong to the Great Plains Woodturners in Lincoln, Nebraska. At our meeting last night each member had a chance to take home a piece of American Chestnut that was collected by Scott Josiah, one of our members and also a Nebraska State Forrester. These blanks were all from the top of a tree from Nebraska City, NE which was home to J Sterling Morton and was probably planted by him many years ago. This tree was between 3 and 4 feet in diameter and was killed by the Asian Blight and cut down a couple years ago. The bark had rotted off the tree but there was no decay on the wood that was left. Asian Blight has just about made the American Chestnut extinct which makes this wood a rare treasure. Design and turning of this wood is left to each individual so we will be in for a treat as the new creations are displayed. The Arbor Day Foundation will have their pick of pieces as the tree came from Arbor Lodge Property with the Nebraska Forest Service getting some pieces as well. Thought some of you might like to hear and see this story so taking the liberty to show off what we all had to pick from. Pieces ranged from 20-24 inches across and about that long down to pieces only suitable for a pen or bottle stopper. I picked a piece that is about 22 inches square and 2 inches thick. It does have a crack almost in the middle so a 20" platter is not possible but I do see about 4 smaller plates so wish me luck that the crack monsters stay away.