I cut some firewood for the wood stove and walnut firewood box. There was an old farmhouse near my parents’ place in a local suburb. I don’t think anyone around here appreciates an old white farmhouse like I do. I suppose there could have been structural issues with this particular one, but I still think it’s a shame when a bunch of suburban cookie cutter McMansions take over old, beautifully detailed houses.
Anyway, they did save most of the trees on the lot but cut down the largest of them. I was horrified when they did it. Again, the usual thing around here is to cut down every old tree, build a house then plant new tiny trees. They cut this one down because they failed to take its location into consideration when planning the garage. I went over there after the damage was done and grabbed a branch from the ground.
That branch has been waiting for just such a project as the Studio…
I sawed tiny logs from the main branch with a tiny saw. :D The branch is quite dry, so I was able to just snap the smaller pieces apart.
I split the larger pieces using a chisel and rubber mallet. What interesting grain patterns! It smells good, too.
Some of these pieces will fit under the wood stove (pardon the primer).
I love the textures and colors.
Since the firewood box will hold the battery and switch for the wood stove and I don’t want to have to rearrange firewood each time, I made a fake wood stack that can be lifted out of the firewood box.
I added small scraps of walnut 3/4″ high to hold the wood stack above the battery and switch (not yet added).
I cut a flat piece of walnut smaller than the opening of the firewood box and set it inside.
I glued a stack of firewood to this new base and the logs to one another until I had a good layout.
I left four logs loose so I can arrange them on top at random. No one would be the wiser just looking at the firewood box. :D
Whenever I want to operate the switch, I just lift out the wood stack. It lifts out without the aid of tweezers, but my big hand blocking the view would have defeated the purpose of a photo. :D
Here are all the pieces together.
A fitting memorial for a beautiful tree in front of a beautiful house, both of which are no more.
