"Holly-wood" gloat

Status
Not open for further replies.

Dave Peterson

New User
Dave
Everytime I talked about cutting down this holly tree, my wife would break into a chorus rif of "Hollywood.... ta ta ta ta ta ta ta, Hollywood....!" :banana:

Anyway, my neighbor and I took it down yesterday. It was sitting smack-dab on our two property lines, so we each get half the tree. We harvested over 30 linear feet, and this photo shows the base cut about 4 ft. above the ground after we leveled off the log. We are going to plank up two logs, each about 5 ft. long, and the rest will be cut into rounds for either bowls or mallet heads. In the photo shown here, notice the thing on the log that looks like a nightmare centipede. It was a vine that put out roots to hang on to the tree and it went up the tree about 20 ft.

Dave Peterson
hollywood.jpg
 

eyekode

New User
Salem
Dave that vine looks like poison ivy to me. I don't know if it has the same nasty oils in the vine.

The tree looks like it was a pretty good sized holly. What diameter?
Salem
 

Dave Peterson

New User
Dave
It was about 11" diameter at about 3 ft. above the ground. (see tape measure in photo). It wasn't poison ivy....I am familiar with that nasty stuff.

Dave
 

LeftyTom

Tom
Corporate Member
Dave, tell your neighbor you'll split the tree 50/50, and your neighbor can have the limbs. :widea:
 

Dave Peterson

New User
Dave
It has gone further than that....I pick a board, he picks a board, I pick a board, he picks a board....

We have already split up the rounds, and only have two logs, about 5 1/2 ft. long, 10-12 inches in diameter, that will go to the resaw guy. the rest will be rounds for bowls or mallets.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
+1 to a poison ivy vine and if it is it's also loaded with the same oils that make the leaves so desirable.

Of course you can always do a field test on human flesh! :icon_scra
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
Pretty - cut it ASAP like yesterday or else it'll yellow. Also don't let the boards see direct sunlight until they are fully air dried else they will also yellow.
 

Henry W

Henry
Corporate Member
Re: Turning Holly?

Dave: I happened into a chunk of holly this week as well. About a 4" thick bowl blank I guess.
I haven't decided what to do with it. Does it turn well? I thought it was mostly prized for the stay-white color.

Mallet heads? Why holly for this application? I had not heard of that one.

Henry W
 

Dave Peterson

New User
Dave
Henry: No reason for the mallet heads....The upper reaches were 3 to 4 inches in diameter, and we cut chunks and that was the only thing that has come to mind so far. It might end up something else. At that height of the tree, I am still thinking of ideas.

Jeff: We are going to get it to the mill as soon as possible. I also have an indoor space where I can air dry it. Hoping for the best.

Dave
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
Henry: No reason for the mallet heads....The upper reaches were 3 to 4 inches in diameter, and we cut chunks and that was the only thing that has come to mind so far. It might end up something else. At that height of the tree, I am still thinking of ideas.

Jeff: We are going to get it to the mill as soon as possible. I also have an indoor space where I can air dry it. Hoping for the best.

Dave

That's good - in my experiences holly is perhaps the most difficult to get to stay it's true color (white), time from felling to sticking is very short. Just the least little bit of sunlight before it air dries will cause it to turn yellow, take a look at your log ends tomorrow and you'll see what I mean. It's just one of those woods that is best milled at night and brought into a dark place to dry. Any excess moisture will easily cause ugly streaks that run the entire thickness of the board. So don't allow any rain to get to it and your miller should saw it dry (no water lube) All this fuss may be the reason why white holly sells for about $19.00 ~ $21.00 a board foot, however nobody really wants yellow or streaked holly.
 

aplpickr

New User
Bill
If that is not the overly friendly PI, then what is it? Looks like PI to me, as I scratch just thinking about it. :gar-Cr
 

Dave Peterson

New User
Dave
I got rid of the poison ivy and did it very carefully. used a disposable blade to cut the tendril roots, then a pliers to pull it off the trunk. no reaction 48 hours later. i think i missed the bullet on that one.
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
I have always had trouble with the holly splitting when I tried to dry it. Get it cut as soon as possible and put some sealer on the ends.

Roy G
 

aplpickr

New User
Bill
Be careful. PI is a sensitizer. A long time immunity to it can suddenly become sensitivity. I grew up in S. Fla with five mango trees in the yard. Mango sap contains the same active ingrediant as PI. This was almost like taking allergy shots for PI. I always trimmed PI vines with bare hands with no problem until 45 years went by. My sudden reaction to PI almost required hospitalization, Turning mango wood can get you, if you are sensitive to PI. Mango sap is similar to pine sap. You can find the hardened sap on the fruit's skin. I don't eat them anymore!
 

Dave Peterson

New User
Dave
Roy, I have the planks in the shed now and they are stuck up. I put them under the work bench and turned my circulating fan on low, just for a little air movement (the fan is not directly on the wood). it is about 30 degrees in there, right now. I think they will dry slow as cold as it is. Do I still need to seal the ends, or do you think it will be OK?

Dave
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
Just a thought for those smaller rounds. Salt & Pepper shakers, Ice Cream Scoops. Some possibilities. Maybe a white salt shaker and a painted / dyed black pepper mill. Just thinking out loud.

- Ken.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Premier Sponsor

Our Sponsors

LATEST FOR SALE LISTINGS

Top