Eucalyptus bird bath?

[Chris152]

I was given this piece of wood yesterday on account of how much I like the shape it's taken over the years. It's about 3' longest measurement. But now I'm wondering what to do with it.

I spent 15 mins trying to sand it with my ROS and 40 grit, it's as hard as nails (I knew that already from trying to turn a bit of the same tree), so if I'm to clean it up I'll need to shell out for a belt sander. But the figuring looks great and it could look lovely all cleaned up, in spite of the chainsaw cuts which I'd fill with sawdust and resin, I suppose.

Are the lighter lines medullary rays?
Anyway, the best I've come up with is a bird bath something like this:

But with thicker legs, unless I pay someone to make them from metal. I think I'd struggle to cut them on a bandsaw on account of the depth of curve/ limited throat on the saw.

Anyway, just kicking ideas around in my head - anyone got a better idea of what to do with it (apart from burn it)? Any thoughts very welcome!

Thanks, C

 

[Ttrees]

Are you planning to encase it in epoxy, ala Matt Cremona job.
I wonder if that would stop it cracking?
Can you apply epoxy onto wet surfaces?
I would imagine it would split into a few pieces if you needed to dry it out first.
Looks like this would be a very expensive endeavor to have fail, which is probably very likely .

As for the legs you still could make it from wood, cutting curves would be very wasteful
if you planned on a single piece, instead of scarf joints for each leg.
What metal are you thinking of using... flat bar?
Have you got a welder?


As for the sanding concave profiles, I would have a look at angle grinder wheels like the Kutzall and finish with flap discs.
Never seen them before watching an Acorn to Arabella video.

 

[Chris152]

It's only got a couple of tiny cracks, Tom - the big bits you can see are where a chainsaw was let loose on it. It'll stay air-dried, which it's been for years - which does raise the question about resin, not sure if it'll take to wood at about 18% mc but was assuming it would. And good point about the flappy things for an angle grinder - there's one of those with flaps I can use, saving lots of money! Thanks.

 

[sunnybob]

shame november 5th has just gone. :roll: :lol:
That will be BIG labour of love trying to make that pretty. =D>

 

[Chris152]

shame november 5th has just gone. :roll: :lol:
That will be BIG labour of love trying to make that pretty. =D>

Step one on the way to pretty - 45 mins with an angle grinder and one of those flappy discs got rid of the chainsaw marks.

(I slopped water on it so I could see the figuring.) Next is 40-grit and a ros. I'm thinking metal for the substructure, planning to talk to someone early next week - tho I also wonder if we could do it ourselves if we had a welder and some other bits and bobs .
What's best to seal it - is resin the answer? Or varnish, or just oil?