# Giant Grapevine.....!!



## woodchic (Mar 17, 2009)

Ok…. Been a while since I've been in here. I have a question to ask everyone. The above photo is a close up of a piece close to the tip… This is 5 inches across. This at the base is as big as my waist, before it was accidently cut into with the dozer it was over 70feet long. This is a grapevine, anybody got any suggestions of how old it is, what to do with it, how rare is finding something like this, is it worth any money? What can I do with it? Can I make furniture out of it???? Give me some ideas.


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## GaryC (Dec 31, 2008)

Hey, Robin. Nice to see you stop by.
I have no idea of the age. But, I'd like to see what it looks like turned and ripped. It looks soft in the last picture. I hope you get some info.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

I've got some pretty large grape vines in the woods around my house, but not quite that large. I'm sure you could make something out of it, but it's pretty soft stuff. Doubt it's worth much to many people, but you never know.

Cheers,
Brad


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

We have lots of them here in PA. Mostly folks think of them as a nuisance. Never saw one that big, here. I guess even the smaller sections are too big for a cane/walking stick.


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## rustfever (May 3, 2009)

Woodchic.
I have been in the wine industry for over 30 years. I have taken out a number of wine [grape] vines and been tempted to work with them. 
My findings….......
All of the vines with which I have dealt, are in the 30 to 50 year age. Mostly red [such as Cabernet or Zinfandel] and white [Chardonnay] varietals. Usually 2" to 3" in diameter.
All of the wines are from vineyards that produce grapes used in wine production.
On multiple occasions, I have tried to use the wood grape vine for some project.
I tired to cut the vines into some usable form and found the wood to respond in a very negative manner during drying.
Most of the time, the wood twisted, split, and cracked, leaving the product that was of minimum value for most any woodworking project.
The only occasion on which I was successful, was to craft [turn] pens out of some younger Chardonnay vines.
I made about 20 pens out of littlerly 100's of feet of vines. To do so required lots of CA glue to make the wood pen blanks stay together. 
I was successful in making lots of firewood for friends and neighbors, all of whom complained about the quick fire and big pile of ashes.

Short answer….......Lots of work….very small return….Good luck


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## woodchic (Mar 17, 2009)

I wondered about when it dried what it would be like, the sap that is coming from it is white and foamy looking. Very sticky, gel feeling substance. The grapevine it's self hard like wood….but in a way the outside skin reminds me of coconut. Which makes sense because they tell me that in the summer when you cut into a grapevine it's like a water hose, But this being the time to cut them because the sap is down. So we lucked out there I suppose. I am wondering as big and dense as it is if I could use them as legs for tables?? They the vine has so much character kind of like ceder and I am tempted to let it dry and try doing that. Meanwhile I talked to someone and his brother said he could turn it for me and see what it does. If I do that I will post it, so you can see. Wow Rustfever if the vines you dealt with being 2-3 inches in diameter was 30-50 years old….dang this this is old, old, going by what you said


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## woodchic (Mar 17, 2009)

> I wondered about when it dried what it would be like, the sap that is coming from it is white and foamy looking. Very sticky, gel feeling substance. The grapevine it s self hard like wood….but in a way the outside skin reminds me of coconut. Which makes sense because they tell me that in the summer when you cut into a grapevine it s like a water hose, But this being the time to cut them because the sap is down. So we lucked out there I suppose. I am wondering as big and dense as it is if I could use them as legs for tables?? They the vine has so much character kind of like ceder and I am tempted to let it dry and try doing that. Meanwhile I talked to someone and his brother said he could turn it for me and see what it does. If I do that I will post it, so you can see. Wow Rustfever if the vines you dealt with being 2-3 inches in diameter was 30-50 years old….dang this this is old, old, going by what you said
> 
> - woodchic


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## woodchic (Mar 17, 2009)

Gary….great to see you. The grapevine is very dense, very heavy, and it's harder that what it looks. Probably same softness as white pine …maybe a tad softer. Guess we will see how it does when it's turned. I am intrigued mostly by its characteristics and by its age… If I can save it and turn it into something as a great piece of art or a piece of furniture it would make me very happy to save it that way. I hate to waste something that has survived that long.


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## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

Woodchic

I have turned small pieces of vine and like was said it is pretty soft, however with some CA glue and with some dyes it would make some nice stuff.

I do not know if you want to mail some of it but I would be willing to make some stuff for you out of it. If you do just send me a PM


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

It seems to me that you could use it to make some sort of base or legs for a live edge table.


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## woodchic (Mar 17, 2009)

This is not a domestic grapevine it is a wild one. Now if that makes a difference in it I don't know. This is harder than what you think… Now if it's because of the size and it being older…I don't know that either. It's just very interesting to me to see what can be made from it.


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## woodchic (Mar 17, 2009)

Bondi, I'm going to see if I can do that too. It's 70 or more feet long, so surely I can make some legs too


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## XquietflyX (Oct 9, 2015)

what ended up happening? did you try and make any thing with it?


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## woodchic (Mar 17, 2009)

Hey….......I have been out working with my hubby in the hills so I haven't been on LJ's much. I am letting my grapevine dry out a bit before I do anything with it. So far it looks like it still going to stay in tact and not split…......we shall see. I am going to give a person a call to take a look at it to give their expertise opinion on what to do with it. I will be giving you all an update when I do. I appreciate y'alls interest in the grapevine we found.

Robin Renee'


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## XquietflyX (Oct 9, 2015)

cool i look forward to seeing what you do with it.


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## stevepeterson (Dec 17, 2009)

That is a very cool piece of wood.

A guy on one of the forums for wooden clocks was doing an experiment to see if grapevine would be useable for the pendulum spring. The best material for this would normally be a piece of spring steel, but some people are interested in making the clock with 100% wood. Grapevine was the most promising thing that he had found.


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## woodchic (Mar 17, 2009)

Thanks XquietflyX.


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## woodchic (Mar 17, 2009)

Hi Steve. Interesting, thanks for sharing.

Robin Renee'


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## learnin2do (Aug 5, 2010)

I have some 6 or 7 inch ones (wild), and they didn't crack so much (cut 3 years or so ago) , but I decided I couldn't make table legs with them, because they were way too soft to deal with. so…they still hang around, because every time I think I should hack them up and burn them to reduce the hoarded wood clutter, they just look too pretty. I can't believe they haven't fallen apart, as they are just sitting outside, but they are really light and pithy.


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