Cork Bark Elm raw material

IsaM

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Hi all

Thinking of picking up this Cork Bark Elm raw material. It's 60cm high and same width. Obviously it's a long way to go till it's anywhere near finished but always find it inspiring hearing people's views on what they would do with the tree. I worry that the rod straight section in the middle of the tree will always be a bit of an eyesore but might be because it's so obvious without much branching on the rest of the tree.

Would appreciate views on what people think, where you might take the tree and how much of a "problem" that straight section would likely be in a final design.

Thanks!
 

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leatherback

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I am concerned with the potential of big chops that you cannot see now, but are still open and gaping.

In the end, I cannot judge what you have on your benches, nor your experience & development timeframe for this tree, and I do not know the pricetag. Those are a lot of "ifs". That being said, except for the species, this tree has little for me to get excited about
 

IsaM

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Hi leatherback.

The tree is £190, so about Eur230 or $250.

Re timeframe, for me this would be long term development given the branch structure i.e. I recognise that this has got at a bare minimum 5 years before it might be anywhere near "finished". What I'm most interested in is the "potential" of the tree, I guess your final comment suggests you think it isnt worth it given the current trunk and structure. Thanks very much for your input.
 

Hartinez

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I’m with Leatherback on this one. Because it is an elm, a new branch structure and or trunk line would be a relatively quick fix, but at 250 dollars I dont know that I would fork that out considering the flaws you noted. Are there no other pictures provided by the seller to show potential movement in that straight section from different angles?
 

IsaM

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View of the tree from the back. No obvious open chops but not sure the straight section looks much better!
 

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Hartinez

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View of the tree from the back. No obvious open chops but not sure the straight section looks much better!
Yeah that’s a tough one. For me, the appeal of the tree is in the first third. A big chop to the branch at the outside of curve of the big transition could save it, but again, i dont know that i would pay that to start from scratch on a tree. IMO
 

leatherback

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The tree is £190, so about Eur230 or $250.
to me, that would be too much for this tree. Up to 100 I would consider it if I did not have the species. But for 250 there needs to be a decent convincing trunkline.

For comparison, I got this one well below 200E a few weeks ago. I have not measured it, but the base should be about 6 inch wide.
 

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sorce

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I went looking for comparisons for sale, from the internet searchable stuff, you may have picked the most decent one.

That price is still too high.

Does the tree leatherback posted not stir emotions? Something that you can then utilize to impart some wonder into the material?

That's the "special" you should be buying.

This OP $250 tree seems more....
A child's paint by numbers problem, a "bonzai", cookie cutter, whatever.

I reckon if the Nebari was visible and spot on, it could be made worth it, but the rest of the tree doesn't make that seem so.

The back photo does seem to show you could tighten up that reverse taper silhouette line, which would be my biggest problem.

I'd lowball em at $50 and see what happens.

Sorce
 

August44

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Agree with leatherback...to mucha the money!
 

IsaM

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Thanks for the input all!
 
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