Hello folks
I am writing with some questions on salvaging some wood from a portion of an old box elder in my parents backyard. This tree was one that I used to climb all the time. It also held the family tire swing. It is now slowly dying and today it dropped a rather large limb on the neighbors fence. I'll have to get the limb off the fence and clean up the mess this weekend. If possible I would like to salvage as much as I can to use in some small projects. The limb is not very large, the diameter in the largest areas is probably 9 or 10 inches, and it is rather gnarly lacking long sections of straight wood.
I realize a lot of the answers to the following questions could be best answered if I mentioned some specific intent regarding the use of this wood. Some possibilities I am contemplating include turned bowls, and small (unturned) boxes with hinged lids. However, at this time I am not sure what I would like to make from it, and would like to keep as many options available as possible.
That said, please answer the following questions as best you can. I will be very grateful to anyone willing to spare some time to help me successfully use this wood.
- What diameter limb would be reasonable to expect to use, and what diameter limb should I simply discard?
- What size lengths do you think I should cut?
- What would be the proper way to cure and store this wood? Indoors? Outdoors? In a shed? I am in the NE US.
Any other information you think might be useful to me will be seriously appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
J.H.