Mystery Resolved

Part III

The fallen tree has become a keepsake box. The wood wanted to fall apart along the growth rings, so it needed to be clamped and glued a few ways.

Back of the drawer and bottom of the box.

Here’s the drawer under construction. I wanted to keep some of the raw surface of the growth rings in back.

Note to self: don’t make boxes with round shapes. They are hard to clamp.

The wood had open cracks, which I filled with wood putty. The putty works as a highlighter – no need to pretend the cracks aren’t there. They show the natural patterns of the wood. Two treatments with Danish oil brings out the color, which is natural to cherry.

The box retains the wavy form of the wood just below the bark, which I’ve removed.

On the left, the drawer is open. On the right, the back shows the cracks in the wood.

There was another half a log left, but it was very weak. I couldn’t make a box with working parts, but I could salvage just enough to make a birdhouse.