Has anyone carved with elder before? I have obtained a bit that is about 4.5"-5" in diameter. Obviously avoiding the pith in the middle, has anyone any success with it?
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Elder wood, any good?
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Not done any carving with it, but from what I understand, it seasons to being a very hard wood, so probably best to get started 
It is good for bows if you find a cleanish, straightish piece.
It is good for bows if you find a cleanish, straightish piece.
Mature wood is used for whittling and carving, while smaller stems can be hollowed out to make craft items. The flowers and berries are mildly poisonous, so should be cooked before eating. The leaves are also poisonous. The flowers are often used to make wine, cordial or tea, or fried to make fritters. (Wiki)
Not sure if it is what you call a fritter, but we have been enjoying them two ways:
1: you dip the whole cleanred flower bunch in a thicker crepes batter, then fry on a pan (in butter)
2: cut off the flowers into a crepes batter, then continue as usual.
Lovely taste!
1: you dip the whole cleanred flower bunch in a thicker crepes batter, then fry on a pan (in butter)
2: cut off the flowers into a crepes batter, then continue as usual.
Lovely taste!
Fritters get deep fried here. Start with a Cucurbit/squash/pumpkin flower.
Batter that and deep fry. Big deal. New world pakora.
Batter that and deep fry. Big deal. New world pakora.
I have been stocking up for my winter carving. I got some Elder, Plum, Ash, Sycamore, Damson, Cherry, Elm, Fig and a few bits that I forgot what they are, haha! I started writing on them when I forgot the species of the first bits I collected!
I'm also waiting for a bit of monkey puzzle when one of my customers decide it's time to chop it down.
I'm also waiting for a bit of monkey puzzle when one of my customers decide it's time to chop it down.
It's not a great firewood and the pithy core to it makes carving the usual bushcrafty utensils a pain but you can have fun making whistles out of it.
It's quite a big lump. About 4.5"-5" in diameter so I am hoping to avoid the pith. The thing was about 20' tall. Not any more though!
I have a fair amount of it, unfortunately rather rotten for the most part, being windfall branches from trees well past their prime. Does it burn well, or is the smoke toxic?
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