burl elm tea candle, or "fence post art"

I love this burl elm. i’ve got an entire log cut into slabs and I’ve been using small pieces that I’ve saved to make gifts this Christmas season. I made this one tonight in about an hour. I’ve got enough for 10 more cut and ready to sand. They don’t have the edge character this piece has. It was from a fold in the tree trunk with lots of bark inclusion. It’s 4am and way to dark to hunt some holly leaves and berries to put around it. In the morning I’ll cut some holly branches and use this piece of “Fence Post Art” as a table centerpiece until I decide who I’ll give this to for Christmas.

My Winter project is to make a slab table, benches and a couple of chairs from burl elm for my dining room. It would also make a beautiful old style ice chest with brass hinges and latches…

“Fence Post Art” is something I make from scrap wood, that could have once been part of a fence post, or lumber from a barn. This small piece of wood was part of a log section that was cut up when the tree was removed from someone’s yard. The rest of the log section is sliced into 1 1/2” thick pieces and I’ll make more “Fence Post Art” from them today.

-- Hal, Tennessee http://www.first285.com