| Project by frank | posted 1051 days ago | 545 views | 1 time favorited | 7 comments |  |
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”Wood Buttons”
I am posting these pictures, of what I have coined a phrase of and called ‘wood buttons’.
I am always coming across these in the woods on trees that I drop and can never pass them up as to me they are wonderful objects of wood art. Over the years I have collected them in all shapes and sizes, while finding them on all species of trees. Maple, oak, birch, pine, poplar just to name a few and so I will cut them of the tree and then set aside to cure in the woods. If I get them early enough before they start drying out, I can carve out the inside and they make little bowls or just objects of art that folks like to set on desks and shelf space. When dried out I can slice them on the bandsaw and get many different characters of wood.
I have used them for door pulls on cabinets and they also are used to test out different finishes and coloring techniques, as I have done here. The woods here are filled with what I have left to cure, while I also have them curing in my wood lots so as to turn spalted and then I have them in my barn also in abundance. I don’t think I will ever be able to stop collecting them as they are a favorite of mine and make good wood art.
Some that are hollowed out on the outside and mounted to two hundred year old barn boards are sold to folks who grow orchids and are much in demand by them. This works both ways though as orchid growers also know where to get them and therefore make their own also.
I do not call ‘wood buttons’ true burls, since to me there is a difference in size and texture, but then that is only my opinion. Here is a picture of an oak burl and spalted maple ‘wood button’. The oak burl and spalted maple button are both finished in tung oil and shellac.
The three pictures I have also posted of the “Wood Buttons” project are of maple and where used to test some colors and then the piece is finished in rubbing varnish which I made. I make most of my own rubbing varnishes as I can therefore tint and cut to whatever sheen I am going after.
Thank you.
Frank
RusticWoodArt
rusticwoodman@gmail.com
www.frank.wordpress.com
-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/
7 comments so far
Don
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2590 posts in 1075 days
posted 1051 days ago
And now I know what you mean by “wood button”. Thanks, Frank.
-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hilsbiblechurch.org/
oscorner
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4572 posts in 1209 days
posted 1051 days ago
Frank, you come up with the most interesting specimens. Love the color on the largest wood button.
-- Jesus is Lord!
MsDebbieP
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14171 posts in 1059 days
posted 1051 days ago
I want to go hiking and see what I can find! Thank you SO much for sharing this.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
frank
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1503 posts in 1104 days
posted 1051 days ago
Hello Don;
—-thank you Don! Pictures sometimes do a better job at speaking then using words. Like the saying I heard from a wise soul, ‘let your actions be the words and then if needed, go ahead and throw in some words for flavor’. Ha! My actions just show up better in pictures!
Have a very good day!
Frank
RusticWoodArt
-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/
frank
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1503 posts in 1104 days
posted 1051 days ago
Hi Mark;
—-yes color for me is what its all about! I live in a world of color and try to show this color in my wood art as much as possible.
Having been trained and schooled that wood was not to be colored, I am happily breaking out of that mold, like all the fungus that surrounds that way of thinking.
Have a very good day!!!
Frank
RusticWoodArt
-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/
frank
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1503 posts in 1104 days
posted 1051 days ago
Well hello Debbie;
—-going on walkabouts is where its at! I can not go into the woods but that I come out carrying more then when I went in. I have found really good wood buttons on dead fallen trees and even though the wood is going punky, I will cut the buttons off, dry them out and they are some of the richest in color and character. Its also helps to strip the bark out in the woods and hollow them out there on site. Tung oil and shellac can do wonders for wood buttons. Happy hiking and wood button gathering!
Have a very good day!!!
Frank
RusticWoodArt
-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/
Jiri Parkman
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603 posts in 711 days
posted 698 days ago
Nice.
-- Jiri