I am really scratching my head on this one. I was given a box of wood,and told to see what I could build out of this.

It is a real challenge. Apparently the owner  Had cut down an ornamental shrub, maybe a Holly bush, and cut it in firewood length,then decided to resaw it into boards some time ago. He cut it green and sprayed/ painted it with paraffin wax and stored it away in his shop dark corner and forgot about it. When he passed away awhile back, his widow gave it to me and asked for me to please makes something out of Al's wood for her.

What do you think Guys?

 

Herb

A nice bonfire?

John

By the time you plane it flat you can make a see through shade for a floor lamp!!!

How about a set of graduated boxes with live edged lids? 

+1 for what Gene said

sorry ma'am, but it just isn't feasible to make anything useful out of this?

 

how about take one of the larger and nicer pieces, and wood burn his name and birth and death dates?

how about some insight into/about the owner..

1 hour ago, Stick486 said:

how about some insight into/about the owner..

Those are all good ideas.
He was a Stress Eng. MIT Grad. with a Master Degree in Business Management from another College on the East Coast, and his hobby was wood working. He was one of the passed pres. of our WW club an the only thing he ever showed were these complicated jigs,and vacuum venturas for vacuum veneering, that I can remember, his woodworking knowledge was low to mid level in my book. Nothing like I see from you members.
His wife is a Structural Engr. and a Masters in Material Stress Engr. ,They lived in an upper middle class neighborhood, raise 10 kids, they each had 4 and they adopted 2 more. She has very high tastes and I am not sure I could meet her level of approval, but will do my best.

 

I do plan on using the live edges and warpage as features and try to bring out the grain as much as possible.

Herb

Jewelry box with a 3/4'' ply bottom, cover inside with felt. 

Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

1 hour ago, Dadio said:

She has very high tastes and I am not sure I could meet her level of approval, but will do my best.

Gonna' guess if you can't NOBODY could...apparently I've never seen one of your projects where you haven't done your best.

 

Living where you do Herb, did he/she enjoy being on the water, sailing perhaps, fishing, boating in general or some water oriented activity? Did they travel much especially throughout the US/Canada? Could make a scroll sawn puzzle map with live edge pieces forming the borders. Wavy pieces could form mountains...

 

Since both were/are Stress & Structural Engineers, you might take a look at a covered bridge model...of course that would require removal of the live edge...since all of the slabs are end grain, does present a unique challenge no matter what.

 

OK, it's late, been a long day, and very hot...my idea jar is officially dried up for now.

Thanks Dave for the ideas. As far as I know they didn't do boating, might have though. I know they had a wonderful high bank view of the salt water, in their hillside home, and loved the view.

 

The slabs are all length grain,with lots of knots. I sanded some today with an ROS and I think I am on to something.

 

Herb

planter box that looks  a bridge......

mantle clock..

Mantle clock sounds good.

Herb

Chess set...

I'm a little weird but, that is a gorgeous piece of Holly(?), IMO. Whatever you do with it will be fantastic. You're good.

Looks to me there is a lot of stress still inside the wood.  Might try and saw some into boards to see what happens.  Might end up using them as they are for a plant table or such. 

Pick out the straightest ones and consider making a floor shelving stand. Not being perfectly  straight can be an asset with wood grained like these are. It would be even better if you can find some small branches with some grain on them for legs. (crooked legs)

Edited May 16, 20187 yr by Ron Altier

Hey Herb I'm kinda like you for I've had an ROS for years before I realized it would make wood smooth...Just a tease on that last line you wrote on # 11 post.

 

But seriously I use to wander around in neighbors shop and many of his tools I had never seen before then after starting to collect stuff for my shop I decided I needed some of those kind of things sitting around also... ...and now many years have passed and some of the things I just had to have cause Roy owned some,  are still new and have never been opened......The last thing I thought I could not live without was a Wixley that someone on Wood on Line was tooting the horn for....I think it has only been out of the box just one time in the 10 or 15 years or so I have had it.. And if everyone was to be honest with themselves gets caught up in that thought, I just have to buy that tool today.....

1 hour ago, Smallpatch said:

still new and have never been opened.....

I think most of us have some of those!

John

mantle clock that looks like a bridge....