What to do with this piece of wood? [Archive] - Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community

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Paul Heely

11-22-2011, 6:30 PM

I could use some help with some ideas on how best to process this pieces of Japanese Maple. This is the trunk section of a 40 year old tree that my sister lost during the CT storm a few weeks back. The piece is about 24" long. The width varies from 16" to 13". On one end there are three separate trunks that all grew together, and from looking at the end there are no inclusions. On the other end the three trunks start to separate. The middle of them has a bunch of dirt in it.

I am completely at a loss of what to do with this. I'm guessing that with three trunks growing together that there must be some nice grain in there somewhere, but I'm not sure how best to get at it. Any thoughts and ideas are welcome. At this point there is no cracking and I have sealed both ends, but would like to do something with it before any cracking starts.

Thanks for any and all ideas. If I need to post some more pics let me know. It's the piece in the middle in these pics.

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Baxter Smith

11-22-2011, 7:32 PM

I roughed out a vase from a beech crotch last spring where the opening at the top was right in the middle of the crotch. You might try the same thing by slabbing off the three sides from the piths at the top to a couple inches from the the pith at the bottom. That would give you 3 outside pieces with some figure and a center piece for a vase. Mount it between centers and turn a tenon on the lower end to grab with a chuck, then work your way down in. How tall your vase would be would depend on how deep that dirt goes in the middle. Then soak the pith with CA inside and out. Just a thought and worth what you paid for it!

David E Keller

11-22-2011, 8:45 PM

That's a huge Japanese maple! It always seems to be a crap shoot for me with those multiple crotch pieces... Baxter's plan sounds pretty reasonable to me.

robert baccus

11-22-2011, 11:33 PM

Like the above comment, it could be bueatiful or crap. beware of trapped bark ect. in the crotch.

Mike Cruz

11-23-2011, 7:37 AM

The best advice I can give you is to send it to me. That way you won't be burdoned with a dulled chain, knicked gouges, and hours of headaches figuring out what to do with the wood... :D Hey, I didn't say it was good advice, just the best I have for ya...

Paul Heely

11-23-2011, 7:43 AM