The last post showed the biggest Bur Oak in Tennessee blown down. Here is a photo of the same tree from Bob Dulany taken back in 1996. I was able to make a sack back chair from this tree. The back bow was bent from a young white oak. You can really see the color difference between the old and new. Due to the brash effect of this tree I simply could not get a bend without major failure. Oh I guess I could have fashioned a strap but I ran out of time. The undercarriage and spindles and arm are from this tree. Look close at the arm and you can count almost 30 years of growth rings.The close growth rings are what made the bendings fail. The seat is elm from here in town. I didn't have time to wait for seat material to dry from the Bur oak. There is plenty of logs left from this tree and I meet with the owner next week to see what we can do with it using the sawmill.
Logan loves to split firewood. I mean, who doesn't? It is a relief of stress and a joy to pop apart straight grain fibers. Logan decided he needed a new axe and made his own handle. I have lots of tools that need handles and Logan needed something to do. (I guess the video games were getting old). He had a blast making this handle and I can see a future in chairmaking. I think he might be ready.
He is a lot more excited about the new axe than he looks. I told him not to smile so he would look tough with his new axe. He designed the handle himself and I must say it works pretty good.
Here is the photo that Fell Merwin did of the chair I sent to the Custom's House Museum in Clarksville, Tn. It features my new carvings on the crest based on the Ammonite fossil. It also has crotch drawer fronts with locks. The arm, crest, and back spindles are white oak painted with milk paint and glazed with burnt umber oil paint. The rest is walnut. I won best in show in the traditional category. Please check out the show, it runs through October.
