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More about the rose of sharon wood

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#1 ·
More about the rose of sharon wood

Awhile back I posted a question about the usefulness of the wood from a rose of sharon bush.
My observation was that is is surprisingly white. Some lumberjocks encouraged me to dry it and see how it turned out.

I took a small section from the root flare and set it out to dry without any special preparation and I was surprised at how much it shrinks.

Insect Pollinator Moths and butterflies Butterfly Arthropod


The wood dries to a somewhat yellowish color but sands up very pale, but as you may note from the picture, it cracked wide open. The piece is only about three inches across.

The part above the root flare is still in the shed and I'm hoping it won't split like this small specimen.

More on the subject when the wood has dried more.

Don "Dances With Wood" Butler
 

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#2 ·
More about the rose of sharon wood

Awhile back I posted a question about the usefulness of the wood from a rose of sharon bush.
My observation was that is is surprisingly white. Some lumberjocks encouraged me to dry it and see how it turned out.

I took a small section from the root flare and set it out to dry without any special preparation and I was surprised at how much it shrinks.

Insect Pollinator Moths and butterflies Butterfly Arthropod


The wood dries to a somewhat yellowish color but sands up very pale, but as you may note from the picture, it cracked wide open. The piece is only about three inches across.

The part above the root flare is still in the shed and I'm hoping it won't split like this small specimen.

More on the subject when the wood has dried more.

Don "Dances With Wood" Butler
Which plant is that from? I looked it up and it seems like there are a number of plants called Rose of Sharon. The bark you have pictured looks a lot like hibiscus to me.

Just curious.
 

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#3 ·
More about the rose of sharon wood

Awhile back I posted a question about the usefulness of the wood from a rose of sharon bush.
My observation was that is is surprisingly white. Some lumberjocks encouraged me to dry it and see how it turned out.

I took a small section from the root flare and set it out to dry without any special preparation and I was surprised at how much it shrinks.

Insect Pollinator Moths and butterflies Butterfly Arthropod


The wood dries to a somewhat yellowish color but sands up very pale, but as you may note from the picture, it cracked wide open. The piece is only about three inches across.

The part above the root flare is still in the shed and I'm hoping it won't split like this small specimen.

More on the subject when the wood has dried more.

Don "Dances With Wood" Butler
I believe it is a form of hibiscus

Don
 

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#4 ·
More about the rose of sharon wood

Awhile back I posted a question about the usefulness of the wood from a rose of sharon bush.
My observation was that is is surprisingly white. Some lumberjocks encouraged me to dry it and see how it turned out.

I took a small section from the root flare and set it out to dry without any special preparation and I was surprised at how much it shrinks.

Insect Pollinator Moths and butterflies Butterfly Arthropod


The wood dries to a somewhat yellowish color but sands up very pale, but as you may note from the picture, it cracked wide open. The piece is only about three inches across.

The part above the root flare is still in the shed and I'm hoping it won't split like this small specimen.

More on the subject when the wood has dried more.

Don "Dances With Wood" Butler
Thank you, Don.

I'm in San Diego, and we have a lot of hibiscus here. I remember trying to carve a piece from one of my Mom's bushes when I was a kid. It was still wet, and didn't work out too well. Maybe I'll try again.
 

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#5 ·
More about the rose of sharon wood

Awhile back I posted a question about the usefulness of the wood from a rose of sharon bush.
My observation was that is is surprisingly white. Some lumberjocks encouraged me to dry it and see how it turned out.

I took a small section from the root flare and set it out to dry without any special preparation and I was surprised at how much it shrinks.

Insect Pollinator Moths and butterflies Butterfly Arthropod


The wood dries to a somewhat yellowish color but sands up very pale, but as you may note from the picture, it cracked wide open. The piece is only about three inches across.

The part above the root flare is still in the shed and I'm hoping it won't split like this small specimen.

More on the subject when the wood has dried more.

Don "Dances With Wood" Butler
Most sections of woody plant stems that contain the pith will develop radial cracks during drying due to the differential in shrinkage between the inner and outer layers of wood.

If the stem is large enough to make it practical, the best thing would be to saw it into longitudinal "plank" while the stem is freshly cut. Then sticker and dry in an area with plenty of air movement to promote even drying.

Good Luck!

Herb
 

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#6 ·
More about the rose of sharon wood

Awhile back I posted a question about the usefulness of the wood from a rose of sharon bush.
My observation was that is is surprisingly white. Some lumberjocks encouraged me to dry it and see how it turned out.

I took a small section from the root flare and set it out to dry without any special preparation and I was surprised at how much it shrinks.

Insect Pollinator Moths and butterflies Butterfly Arthropod


The wood dries to a somewhat yellowish color but sands up very pale, but as you may note from the picture, it cracked wide open. The piece is only about three inches across.

The part above the root flare is still in the shed and I'm hoping it won't split like this small specimen.

More on the subject when the wood has dried more.

Don "Dances With Wood" Butler
When was the wood originally cut from the plant? Wood cut in Fall or Winter shrinks and cracks less due to lower sap content during those seasons. Wood cut during Spring has highest sap content so will crack more. I notice you are in Pennsylvania, and here in Ohio we have had a very warm wet Spring which also makes it hard to dry wood properly.

Try again and keep us posted.
 

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#7 ·
More about the rose of sharon wood

Awhile back I posted a question about the usefulness of the wood from a rose of sharon bush.
My observation was that is is surprisingly white. Some lumberjocks encouraged me to dry it and see how it turned out.

I took a small section from the root flare and set it out to dry without any special preparation and I was surprised at how much it shrinks.

Insect Pollinator Moths and butterflies Butterfly Arthropod


The wood dries to a somewhat yellowish color but sands up very pale, but as you may note from the picture, it cracked wide open. The piece is only about three inches across.

The part above the root flare is still in the shed and I'm hoping it won't split like this small specimen.

More on the subject when the wood has dried more.

Don "Dances With Wood" Butler
I took the shrub down only two weeks ago.
 

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