[Woodcarver] Red Cedar

[George Farrell]

Hi Sylda

>   We have cut down a live
> mulberry tree and I kept a slice about 3 inches thick and 18-20 inches
> across.  I thought I could burn on it, but would be neat if I could 
> relief
> carve it.  We have a dead mulberry to take down and another live one 
> that
> the wind blew a limb off of --- are they worth saving?

I don't know.  I've never heard of anyone carving mulberry but then 
mulberry
is not common.

> And again wet or dry?

Take a small piece of the dead mulberry and try carving it.  If it has 
been
dead for quite awhile, it would give you an idea of what it would be 
like to
carve.  If the grain is very tight as in maple, birch, poplar, etc. and 
is
nearly pure white it would be good for burning.

> And how to dry?

Common practice for drying is to dry a block for one year for each inch 
of
thickness (that is the smaller dimension across the grain).  It should 
be
stacked under cover off the floor with stickers between layers.  It 
should
NEVER be stored in an attic.

>   Then I have the same situation with a native elm --
> really big tree that a limb broke out of.  If these aren't good to 
> carve do
> you know how they would be to burn on?

Elm has a very coarse grain like oak.  It would be good to carve 
provided you
are not after tiny detail.  It is not really suited for hand carving 
unless
you want to use mallet driven chisels.

> Guess I'm really cheap -- I'd rather
> use my own wood if I can -- I often buy wood with bark, so thought if I
> could use mine I would.

Where I grew up, when I grew up, people grew up with absolutely no 
sense of
humor about money.  Recycling was a normal natural thing.  Nothing was 
ever
wasted.  Things when became worn out for their original purpose, they 
were
often adapted to some other thing.

> George, you and the other experienced, acknowledgeable people on this 
> list
> have taught me lots and I sure do appreciate it.

Thank you dear, but you are certainly welcome.
            ^
            |__ I can away this because I'm older than dirt

Happiness is a tall boat and breeze to fill her sails
Have a good day
http://none332.home.mchsi.com
George
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