New walking cane (WIP)

[Colin-Partridge]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Don just finished it with clear varnish satin. BTW sumac is considered a weed where you find one you will find a thousand. The only problem with harvesting it now is removing the bark. It will be a little tough, I dont know if you saw my post before about removing bark so I will mention it again. If you remove the bark in any month that does not have an R in it the bark will come off like taking a diaper off a baby. Now you are into the months that have an R the sap has stopped running and the bark sticks to the sap wood. So be careful it can still be removed but remember that the sap wood is less than 1/8 inch thick and then you are into the heart wood. Good luck let me know how you make out.
Colin

[mikeg]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Colin,

What I've always known as Sumac is a bush that has a pulpy inner section, does your Sumac? I wonder if we're talking about the same plant?

mikeg

[Ashbys]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Mike,

I think Collin uses Staghorn Sumac
http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio...orn_Sumac.html

The problem is it is also releated to poison sumac
http://www.inspire.net/trees/fact%20...ac_poison.html

Which is also releated to

http://www.kstrom.net/isk/food/rhustrib.html

The problem is identifaction, and the poison variety seems to be more wide spread.

Ash

[Guest]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Fortunately, we don't seem to have any of the poison sumac in the western UP of Michigan......at least I have never seen or heard of any around here. It looks like the main identifying features are the leaves. From looking at the photos Ash provided on his links, the Poison variety has the similar pinately compound leaf structure of the sumacs, but the individual leaves have smooth edges, while both the Red Sumac and the Staghorn Sumac leaves have a saw-tooth edges.

I still haven't seen any sumac around here that is large enough to provide wood for anything but the smallest carvings. Turns out my dad used to carve buttons from sumac in the late 30's through the mid 40's. I only have one left...pretty wood. He also carved a "peace pipe" from a piece of sumac.....the soft pith is easilly removed by running a wire coat hanger up though it. I made another pipe for our Scout OA dance team, but it's nothing like my dad's.

Al

[Irish]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Well, Dang! I guess that makes my sumac Poisonous not Staghorn becuase my leaf edges are just as smooth as can be ... Grummble, grummmmble, grumble.

Susan

[wade clark]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Sumac Identification:

Poison Sumac doesn't have the dusty reddish bloom that the others do.

That red stuff makes a nice "lemonade". Mixed with nettles in a tea it will break a fever.

Wade

[Irish]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Ok ... I called the Department of Agriculture Extension Service this morning. With a very nice gentleman's guidance I now know that my three sumacs are "Ailanthus" also called the Tree of Heaven! Isn't that a nice name for a tree. Smile

It particular sumac is not poisonous, it is extremely invasive, it is an import - not native to America. I told him about Colin's carving sumac and wanting to know if mine was or was not poisonous and therefore carvable. He, my extention service agent, was overly delighted with the idea of carvers using non-poisonous sumac and really encouraged all of us to carve away to help rid the country roads of this nuisance ...

Susan

Off to get my pruners!!!!!

[Irish]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Here's the link ... kaweahoaks.com/html/ chinesetreeofheaven.htmlIt's also called Chinese Sumac and Stinking Sumac ... which it does!

Susan

[Ashbys]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Nice name for a tree Susan.
Identifaction for plants is extreamly important, just something everyone should be aware of. I know of one plant that is often mistaken.

Queens Anne's lace also know as wild carrots has a really nasty realtive. And if you don't know the difference you can eaisly die from it. Both grow wild both in the same area and can even be mixed in the same field. It's realitive is Hemlock and eaisly mistaken.

Ash

[Guest]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Ash, there is an added hazard to that "hemlock", which is actually "water hemlock". *cicutia maculata* The darn stuff looks just like wild hemp (marijuana). When I was still with the State Police I sent a lot of this stuff down to the lab for ID, and all they said was that is was not mj......they didn't know what the heck it was, but advised it was a dead riger for grass! Anybody, cruising the swamplands that decides to smoke some of that stuff should beware, might be their last trip!!!

Al.

[Ashbys]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

No doubt in my mind Al,

heres a couple of references
Queens Anne Lace
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/c...on/Daucuca.htm

Hemlock
http://www.iisgcp.org/EXOTICSP/Poison_Hemlock.htm

Water Hemlock
http://www.briartech.com/summer/hemlock/hemlock.htm

Hemlock is often seen growing at the roadside, and can eaisly be mistaken for Queens anne.

Ash

[Irish]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

As we have seemed to highjack Colin's original posting here by talking about poisonous plants ... but not really because your carving on that sumac is truely inspiring enough to go find out about sumac ... I wanted to add a quick note.

Please, just because a plant is poisonous does not necessarily mean you have to destroy it. If possible, if it is not directly endangering you, your children or your pets you might want to let it go on and grow. Many poisonous species of native plants are also major food sources for wildlife and birds. In my particular area, the Mid-Atlantic poison ivy is a major nuicance and it feeds many wintering birds as cardinals and blue jays as well as small mammals as rabbits and mice. The berries 'cure' towards the end of winter when there is very little food left.

On our little plot we split our ground three ways - one for us and my garden, one part is the forest, and one part is wild meadow. My meadow is full of poison ivy! It's there because I let it grow. I believe it is much easier for me to put on high socks and long pants when I walk my meadow than for that cardinal to go without his late winter food.

Just a passing thought, Thanks for indulging me in a moment Colins!

Susan

[Colin-Partridge]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Susan not a problem I have to agree what sometimes is not good for us is vital to the ecological balance of nature. Dont worry about hijacking my post it is all good we all learn something. Isnt it funny though, and I have mentioned it before how posts take a complete right turn and end up 180 degrees from how the post started.
Colin

[wade clark]

Re: New walking cane (WIP)

Colin,
That would make them ...staring themselves in the face, wouldn't it?
Wade