Design ideas / thoughts please

[Glynne]

I inherited 2 "slices" of yew trunk nearly 8 years ago and have been thinking how they could be used to the extent that I'm not sure whether I'm coming or going.

The ruler is 24" and the thickness of the smaller one is ~ 3" all around with the larger one going from ~ 3" to over 6".
My initial thought was for some small tables with either: -
The edges kept as they are now (only any glass top would cost a fortune to cut)
The blanks framed in timber (probably yew) and either fitted directly to the frame or "suspended" by rods (wood or stainless steel) - this option would allow for a rectangular piece of glass.
Within these options I could leave the gaps as they are, fill them with a resin filler or other timbers.
The only other immediate option for the larger piece would be to use it as the seat for a chair, especially as the reverse side is slightly bowed.
I suppose I could hand carve a really naturally edge bowl (far too big for my lathe) but this would be pretty large for most homes.
To say that there will be a huge amount of cleaning up is an understatement and I'll probably reserve this for spring so as the arbortech can come out but it would be great to have something planned out ready.
I would be loathe to simply cut the wood up for turning blanks if I could avoid it as there is some sentimental value with the wood, but equally I want to do something with it rather than just letting it languish in the shed.
Any ideas or thoughts would be really appreciated.
Thanks for looking.
Glynne

 

[woodcrafter]

Finish them beautifully and then hang them on the wall of your home as artworks. Nature produces beautiful stuff and you have two stunning examples of what nature can do. Don't cut them or try to make them into anything practical. Enjoy them for what they are.
C.

 

[rdesign]

sand them so the grain is fully appreciated, cast them in a resin pour this will fill them and make them into a real talking point! make them into bed side tables or just side tables for the living room.
dont over complicate it!
nice pieces of timber u have get them out of a dark shed
regards rick

 

[MMUK]

How about fitting a 'trunk' as a stand and then a rectangular piece of 8mm toughened glass as a top with polished edges? Polish and wax the yew, maybe hold the glass down with suction cups fitted into the yew on small studs?

 

[rafezetter]

sand them so the grain is fully appreciated, cast them in a resin pour this will fill them and make them into a real talking point! make them into bed side tables or just side tables for the living room.
dont over complicate it!
nice pieces of timber u have get them out of a dark shed
regards rick

+1 I was thinking the same thing

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I like the pure wall hung art idea...the wood is already speaking volumes and doesn't really need a further function. Also given its end grain upwards and only 3" deep the edges/thinner throat pieces would be very vulnerable to breakage

 

[Grahamshed]

They are beautiful looking pieces of wood and I think 'what to do with them' will be in my mind for the rest of the day but for the moment I think I am coming down on the side of hanging them as they are....... though they would be one hell of a dust trap.

 

[pebbles]

They're beautiful... I'd go with a table for the more complete one, and wall-art for the other.

Not the best photo, but this was a bit of 'scrap' from timber yard, a friend polished it and it was sat temporarily on two 'in the round' logs until I figure out how else to more attractively support it when it's re-installed in my current place.

It does get a bit dusty in the holes, but a paintbrush and hoover sort that out.

 

[Grahamshed]

They're beautiful... I'd go with a table for the more complete one, and wall-art for the other.

Not the best photo, but this was a bit of 'scrap' from timber yard, a friend polished it and it was sat temporarily on two 'in the round' logs until I figure out how else to more attractively support it when it's re-installed in my current place.


It does get a bit dusty in the holes, but a paintbrush and hoover sort that out.

It looks beautiful, nobody could argue with that. The OPs logs would not have quite the same effect but would make nice occasional tables ( not sure what they would be the rest of the time )

 

[tool-me-up]

If they have to have a function and not just hung on the wall - I would turn one into a clock.

All this would require is a hole through the center for the spindle, and a square cut out in the back face to allow the mechanism to sit inside

this sort of mechanism I was thinking of http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Modern-Go...K_Home_Garden_Clock_Parts&hash=item2c74b50183 -just maybe one that doesn't tell you hong-kong times :lol:

 

[Alexam]

Could polish and fit a mirror behind with elm bark edge and corners?

Alex

 

[Glynne]

Thanks everyone for your ideas.
Malcolm, next time you're around I'll show you them in person.
Glynne

 

[Dionmayland]

those are beautiful, i wouldn't do anything to them, leave them on a table or hang them on the wall as decoration

 

[NickWelford]

I'd go for a large bowl. There are too few around, and they make a real statement. I have made large oak burr bowls of baht sort of size. (Pic if you want one)

 

[janiscercins]

wood texture looks great!

 

[AnLasair]

I have no ideas, but wanted to say they are amazing bits of wood. Almost look like continents

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you decide on a bowl, I'd have thought you'd need an Arbortech or something similar, because carving that amount of end grain would be murderous. I'd go with the resin as well - for the same reason - finishing that end grain successfully would be very difficult. I'm a yew lover as well.