Looking for green Paper Birch

[DTBoss]

Been trolling Craigslist for a while and can't some up with any source for green Birch logs. Wanting to use them for carving. Also after some Silver (soft) Maple, or Black cherry. Other than ringing up an arborist, does anyone have ideas of how to source some of this timber?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[DTBoss]

If you are set on birch or maple logs, you might give Ricky Pope in Durham a call. He keeps logs for slab cutting on his property and he cuts to order.

Don't have his phone number now but if you get back to me I can send it along.

Dan in Durham

Thanks Dan, if you can find that info, I’ll give him a call. I appreciate the help.
Dan

 

[Jeff]

I haven't been over to visit the Rick Pope sawing operation but he's just a few miles from me. He sounds like a nice guy on the telephone. The phone numbers for Ricky Pope in Bahama, NC are:
Home: 919-471-9118
Cell: 919-485-9996

Carving: What size pieces are you looking for? Sawn green lumber or tree trunk sections or large branches?

Paper birch doesn't grow in NC or Va, but we have lots of river birch growing wild. Silver maple is not common but is often planted as an ornamental tree in NC. It's similar to our widely available red maple (soft maple).

River Birch (Betula nigra)

www.carolinanature.com

silver maple, carolina nature

Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. rubrum)

www.carolinanature.com

 

[DTBoss]

I haven't been over to visit the Rick Pope sawing operation but he's just a few miles from me. He sounds like a nice guy on the telephone. The phone numbers for Ricky Pope in Bahama, NC are:
Home: 919-471-9118
Cell: 919-485-9996

Carving: What size pieces are you looking for? Sawn green lumber or tree trunk sections or large branches?

Paper birch doesn't grow in NC or Va, but we have lots of river birch growing wild. Silver maple is not common but is often planted as an ornamental tree in NC. It's similar to our widely available red maple (soft maple).

River Birch (Betula nigra)

www.carolinanature.com

silver maple, carolina nature

Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. rubrum)

www.carolinanature.com

Thanks for the info Jeff! There's so much I don't know about the differences in the varieties of a given tree, but I was directed towards birch and soft maple as a great woods for carving. I think I'd have the most luck with large branches, maybe 6"-10" in diameter. Smaller bent branches ok as well. I don't have the gear for breaking down larger trunk sections. I'm after the wood for spoon carving mostly. Hopefully I can get up your way this weekend.

 

[danmart77]

You might want to try re posting the request? What's the best wood for carving spoons maybe. We have folks here who make flutes, carve spoons and other objects. If you are not insisting on one type of wood there are others out there that can help.

Below you see a shell carved in a nice grade of wood. The first few were done in poplar and basswood for practice. What's my point? Start out with a softer wood for the first ones. Just a thought.

 

[DTBoss]

You might want to try re posting the request? What's the best wood for carving spoons maybe. We have folks here who make flutes, carve spoons and other objects. If you are not insisting on one type of wood there are others out there that can help.

Below you see a shell carved in a nice grade of wood. The first few were done in poplar and basswood for practice. What's my point? Start out with a softer wood for the first ones. Just a thought.

View attachment 186135

A good thought there Dan. Thank you. I have done a bit of spoon carving in the softer woods you mentioned and learned a lot from them. Pine, poplar, basswood, cedar, corkscrew willow to name a few. I had just seen birch at the top of so many lists while asking that very "what's the best wood" question to the internet that I thought I'd see if I could lay my hands on some locally. That said, I'm always open to suggestions. Also, that shell looks awesome!

 

[Mrfixit71]

How much maple are you looking for? I took down a 2 soft maples a couple months ago, and have turned a couple bowls. The rest of the trees are now in 15"-20" lengths (fit my wood stove). If you are interested in any of it, PM me.

 

[Jeff]

Dan, I thought that this might interest you for spoon carving. In the video Mr. Galbert mentions both birch and soft maple for carving.

I tried spoon carving a few years ago and bought a sloyd knife and hook knife from Deepwood Ventures.

Wood Carving Tools and Carving Knives - Deepwoods Ventures

Wood carving knives with figured wood handles honed to a razor sharp edge.

deepwoodsventures.com

 

[DTBoss]

How much maple are you looking for? I took down a 2 soft maples a couple months ago, and have turned a couple bowls. The rest of the trees are now in 15"-20" lengths (fit my wood stove). If you are interested in any of it, PM me.

Hey Rich,
I'm in downtown Raleigh (27603). If you're close by, I'd certainly be up for grabbing a log or two to play with. Feel free to PM me. Thanks

 

[rustisamust]

Apple and cherry are my favorite spoon woods. Red maple and birch are nice, but I find them a bit dull, unless they've started to spalt, and the fruit woods work better with my preferred knife/burnish finishing. Peach has some spectacular colors but it's a difficult wood.

I don't have space to store much wood, so I mostly scrounge from storm damaged trees or buy blanks from other carvers. There's a guy in Charlotte that's been solid (carolinaspooncarving on Instagram), but he doesn't take many orders in the summer.

 

[DTBoss]

Apple and cherry are my favorite spoon woods. Red maple and birch are nice, but I find them a bit dull, unless they've started to spalt, and the fruit woods work better with my preferred knife/burnish finishing. Peach has some spectacular colors but it's a difficult wood.

I don't have space to store much wood, so I mostly scrounge from storm damaged trees or buy blanks from other carvers. There's a guy in Charlotte that's been solid (carolinaspooncarving on Instagram), but he doesn't take many orders in the summer.

Yesss. Apple and Cherry. Definitely on my list as well!