Anyone have some use for some large bits of weeping willow?

There is a small but steady demand for well seasoned, air-dried strips of willow for use in stringed musical instrument making. Search for violin linings or guitar kerfing and you'll see what I mean. IIRC the weeping willow is even easier to bend than the cricket-bat variety whose name escapes me. I've got more than a lifetime's supply in my own store so I'm not really in the market but it looks to me as if the possible mark-up is colossal!

Nick

That's what I call *big*

What use is sprinkling salt n pepper over it before you burn it?

Willow is used in the casting of (church) bells. An interesting (if you are that way inclined) description of the process is contained in:

You would need to contact either Whitechapels in London or Taylors in Loughborough to see if your pieces are of any use but I have seen them use fairly long sticks (ie around 2m or so).

It is always peculiar how the professionals (presumed experts) are tightly controlled, but we amateurs (metal casting, boiler making) are not.