RJGII's threadless projects

Had to cut back some things when bringing in the tropicals so they'd all fit.

This lavender star also got a pot.

Trunks joined lower than I expected, so decided to embrace the higher tangle of roots, and see what happens.

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Ilex verticillata (male, no berries). Plant back in the landscape, or make a weird octopus clump forest thing?

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Okay, I'm determined to make a Korean mountain ash bonsai (Sorbus alnifolia). I have never seen one, and my Google searches have turned up nothing.

If anyone has seen an example, or has tried, let me know! I feel like it could be awesome.

Maybe I'll make a separate thread about the species if no one sees this...

That being said, my neighbor has a tree that I've admired for the berries and fall color. I get seedlings pop up in my yard on occasion, and I have a free that are 2 or 3 years old. This year I started collecting them from under her tree, and started a couple air layers.

Tree in question (and my daughter on the way to school):
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Close-up of fall color and berries:
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2 or 3 year old seedlings:
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Seedlings I dug yesterday:
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Air layers in progress:
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Got these JWP seedlings into their own pots (got the seeds from cones on a tree at a local nursery - lucky even these two sprouted).

Hopefully the air pruning pots give me some decent roots to work with in the future.

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Now to do something with all these pitch pine seedlings...

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Okay, here's a new one to me. Disclaimer: I am not a woodworker! Credit for the process goes to @ABCarve (as best as I could follow), here:

ABCarve

Thread 'Daiza carving'

So I'm a little bored with pottery right now so I decided to carve a daiza for a friend in my study group. I liked the challenge of this stone because the lip needs to move up and down to accommodate the equator of the stone. I'm not really a stone collector but I have few.

Anyway thought I would post the process. I use a frame filled with plastacine to help determine the footprint of the stones equator as well as the negative space the bottom will occupy. Once the stone is placed in the proper attitude a template is made by tracing and cutting it out.
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First I traced the stone's footprint and started carving with hand chisels. Also traced the outline with a razor, so I wouldn't overshoot.

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I didn't have plasticine, so I kept going by feel mostly. After a bit of this, I decided my Dremel would be better for the job.

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After a bit of this, I tried using chalk to find the high (low?) spots. This did not really work - so it was back to feeling where the wobble was happening.

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Looking pretty good...

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Now to trace the final outline. I wanted it to stick out a bit under the overhang.

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Where's that little bandsaw I haven't used in a decade...? Crap, the mice found out in the shed before I did...

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Plan B:

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Cleanup on the belt sander:

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Continued...
 
Looks okay.

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Let's do a lip.

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Feet carved in, with mostly the same bit. Lined up with places the rock bumps out.

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At this point, I had had a couple carving slips, and decided to quit while I was ahead. Maybe I should have started with something bigger for my first try (more room for error?).

Time for stain. I wanted a dark gray, so got a black stain - and it did pretty much nothing on the scrap oak I used (even after a long soak). Oh well.

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Then a couple coats of poly, and done.

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RJG2 said:
After a bit of this, I tried using chalk to find the high (low?) spots. This did not really work - so it was back to feeling where the wobble was happening.
Click to expand...
I watched a video some time ago and he used carbon paper between the rock and the wood to show the low/high spots. It's been a while since a did any carving, but it worked when I tried it. You do have to press pretty hard depending on the grade of carbon paper. Then my rock broke and the project was scrapped.🙄
 
ShadyStump said:
I watched a video some time ago and he used carbon paper between the rock and the wood to show the low/high spots. It's been a while since a did any carving, but it worked when I tried it. You do have to press pretty hard depending on the grade of carbon paper. Then my rock broke and the project was scrapped.🙄
Click to expand...
Yeah, also something I don't have. That really sucks the rock broke though.

I have at least one more rock I'd like to make one for, so maybe a plasticine and carbon paper order is needed.
 
RJG2 said:
That really sucks the rock broke
Click to expand...
I was pushing my luck with it from the get go. It was a slab of pirite my daughter had found, and I was trying to line it up perfectly in a narrow slit to stand vertical. Tough project for a first attempt.

Keep us posted on any new projects.
 
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