What to do with this?

[Cwalker935]

It is about 5' long, the largest twist is about 6" across, I am pretty sure that the twists enclose a vine or once enclosed a vine. You can see where it emerged in the photo. No clue as to type of wood. Seems very hard and very dry. Guy that gave it to me harvested it years ago in Southwest Virginia.

 

[Eldermike]

Make a walking stick. Put a nom-slip cap on the thin end and smooth off the top to form a grip. Perhaps embellish with tied leather grip on the top.


https://www.etsy.com/listing/198337...2caf2452863a&gclid=CPml1OCjp9MCFRFMDQodQTAEmQ


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[Cwalker935]

It's too big for a walking stick.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Ask an Irishman... would make one heck of a shillelagh.:biggrin::biggrin:

 

[Charlie_W]

Do you have a unicorn hanging around that lost its spiral?:biggrin:

I would say incorporate that into a large art piece of some sort!

 

[Rob_Mc]

If it's too big for a walking stick then try making a "wizards staff" out of it. I bet some fanboy would give you big bucks for it so he can pretend he's Gandalf! :wink:

 

[Herb G]

Where I grew up, we had thousands of those small trees growing.
The woods were full of them.
Problem was, the vines choking them were poison ivy.

 

[Glenn McCullough]

I would get an awesome small burl, make a cool top for the stick then cut the bottom to length to make a walking stick.

 

[Woodchipper]

Saw a walking stick like that- the thin end had a rubber cap and the top was mortised to take a wood handle that was drilled and glued to the top.

 

[Ambidex]

The 5' long would mean it's fine lengthwise for a walking stick...the 6" diameter might make it a bit heavy..

 

[robutacion]

Well, if you are considering to make some bowls or similar castings out of it, I suggest you cut it at suitable lengths and to make sure there is no moisture inside it, put it in the oven for 24 hours at the lowest temperature setting, 60° celsius is OK.

If you use Polyester resin, you need to consider the normal problems (cracking) on large pours so, you need to reduce the % of the catalyst at about 1/4 of the recommended amount, this will force the curing time to extend considerably and therefore, preventing the extreme heat that regular catalyst %'s would create in large pours, it may take a few days to cure but is safer that way...!

The brittleness often found with Polyester castings, particularly when the amount of catalyst recommended is exceeded (happens to those in a hurry...!) is prevented on these type of slow curing, after cured the resin is hard but is a lot softer to cut/work with, similar to Epoxy resins and Alumilite...!

Good luck...!

Cheers
George

 

[Cwalker935]

Well, if you are considering to make some bowls or similar castings out of it, I suggest you cut it at suitable lengths and to make sure there is no moisture inside it, put it in the oven for 24 hours at the lowest temperature setting, 60° celsius is OK.

If you use Polyester resin, you need to consider the normal problems (cracking) on large pours so, you need to reduce the % of the catalyst at about 1/4 of the recommended amount, this will force the curing time to extend considerably and therefore, preventing the extreme heat that regular catalyst %'s would create in large pours, it may take a few days to cure but is safer that way...!

The brittleness often found with Polyester castings, particularly when the amount of catalyst recommended is exceeded (happens to those in a hurry...!) is prevented on these type of slow curing, after cured the resin is hard but is a lot softer to cut/work with, similar to Epoxy resins and Alumilite...!

Good luck...!

Cheers
George

Thank you George! that's just what I was looking for.

 

[sbwertz]

I liked the idea of cutting it into sections to make pen stands.

 

[robutacion]

I liked the idea of cutting it into sections to make pen stands.

Yes, that would be an option but, the more I look at it, the more I think that I would prefer keeping the whole thing as is and make a self-standing long lamp, the top could be made of many things that are woodworking involved, most unusual shaped pieces, as soon as they get cut, they lose their character forever.

Cheers
George

 

[randyrls]

Saw a video about casting a mosquito into amber tinted resin to make a Jurassic Park cane.

 

[Cwalker935]

I liked the idea of cutting it into sections to make pen stands.

Yes, that would be an option but, the more I look at it, the more I think that I would prefer keeping the whole thing as is and make a self-standing long lamp, the top could be made of many things that are woodworking involved, most unusual shaped pieces, as soon as they get cut, they lose their character forever.

Cheers
George

I have thought about a floor lamp but am not sure how you would drill a hole through the length of it. A table lamp using part of it is very definitely a possibility. While the unusual shape has its own appeal and character, I am thinking that there is a lot of unusual grain in those swirls and that the grain coupled with the embedded vine will have quite a bit of character if turned in the right way.

 

[PatrickR]

I liked the idea of cutting it into sections to make pen stands.

Yes, that would be an option but, the more I look at it, the more I think that I would prefer keeping the whole thing as is and make a self-standing long lamp, the top could be made of many things that are woodworking involved, most unusual shaped pieces, as soon as they get cut, they lose their character forever.

Cheers
George

I have thought about a floor lamp but am not sure how you would drill a hole through the length of it. A table lamp using part of it is very definitely a possibility. While the unusual shape has its own appeal and character, I am thinking that there is a lot of unusual grain in those swirls and that the grain coupled with the embedded vine will have quite a bit of character if turned in the right way.

When I saw the picture I immediately remembered having this.

I'm in the same boat. Not sure what to do with it.