Lime Wood/Tree

[Pandabean]

Hey all,

Can someone help me here please. I was reading on another thread that Lime wood was great for carving as it is pretty soft. I now fancy trying it out as I have just carved a spoon from dry (ish, it was still a bit green in places) pine and want to see what the difference is.

The trouble is I have no clue where to look for a lime tree or what they look like. I had a quick browse on wikipedia earlier but I didn't find enough info for ID'ing it.


Cheers,
Andy

 

[malente]

I believe it's more a mediterranian kind of tree, no? So maybe Kew Gardens?

 

[Treemonk]

You might have a bit of trouble in your neck of the wood, unless you go raiding Seaton Park! Limes are more common down south. Birch is way more common up where you are and is a very good carving wood - although not quite as soft as lime or sycamore. Maybe head for a trip up Deeside and see what you can find...

as for what a lime looks like, google tilia platyphyllos or tilia cordata - plenty of links and images.

 

[gregorach]

I believe it's more a mediterranian kind of tree, no? So maybe Kew Gardens?

Huh? It's all over the place up here...

 

[addo]

Hey all,

Can someone help me here please. I was reading on another thread that Lime wood was great for carving as it is pretty soft. I now fancy trying it out as I have just carved a spoon from dry (ish, it was still a bit green in places) pine and want to see what the difference is.

The trouble is I have no clue where to look for a lime tree or what they look like. I had a quick browse on wikipedia earlier but I didn't find enough info for ID'ing it.


Cheers,
Andy

Try your local tree lined street, or Park. They regularly get pollarded or heavily pruned, so keep an eye out for the council tree gang.
Old estates have them too.
They can become a large tree, with "lime green" heart shaped leaves. A basic tree id book from a cheapo bookshop will sort you out with the basic natives.
The best tree for bow drill hearths by miles too.

 

[hiraeth]

I have carved a kuksa from Lime (salvaged from the back of the council tree surgeons lorry). Not a bad wood for carving and dries very light coloured, only down side i could find was that it dried too light and lacked any grain showing through. Would far rather use Birch.

 

[Shewie]

I have carved a kuksa from Lime (salvaged from the back of the council tree surgeons lorry). Not a bad wood for carving and dries very light coloured, only down side i could find was that it dried too light and lacked any grain showing through.

Still a lovely piece though Brian

 

[Gailainne]

Here is a link to a very good on-line tree and shrub guide. Sycamore I find grain wise pretty boring, but its a good wood for carving, however Birch although the grain looks plain can sometime surprise you when you oil it, as can Willow, another lovely wood to carve.

Remember to post pics.



Stephen

 

[locum76]

An easy way to start in identifying Lime is that it self coppices. That means it naturally sends large numbers of 'water shoots' right from the bottom of the tree. It looks like the tree is growing up through a bush.

 

[locum76]

Interesting article...

http://www.macaulay.ac.uk/news/newsdetails.php?01/08/08

it appears there are lime trees AND boletus on Albyn Place in Aberdeen!

 

[Barn Owl]

Young leaves are good for salads and I believe the word Lime is corrupted from Line as it's good for cordage too.

 

[Shewie]

Here is a link to a very good on-line tree and shrub guide.

Stephen

Thanks for putting this up again Stephen

I used to have this in my favourites and then lost it.

 

[Pandabean]

Thanks all.

I just had a look in my book and it has maps of the UK and I think I may have seen it before on my walk to work. Not fully sure though. The picture of the lime leaf I have shows an asymetrical shape, with one side extending further back at the stem.

You might have a bit of trouble in your neck of the wood, unless you go raiding Seaton Park!

Wow, I havent been there much since my second year of uni about 5 years ago.

it appears there are lime trees AND boletus on Albyn Place in Aberdeen!

Right its off to Albyn Place then.... ....maybe later. Actually I have been there before, a very long walk back to town especially when a little bit tipsy.

Stephen thanks for that website, should be pretty handy

Thanks,
Andy

 

[ToneWood]

Lime-wood can be found on wiki here as Tilia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilia
In the USA carvers call it basswood.
I think the Germans may call it Linden (they have a long history of carving lime-wood).

I just carved a ladle & spoon from lime-wood (English - it is fairly common here in the south too) - see the Bodgers' Forum for details. It was very fresh when I carved the ladle and surprisingly fibrous/stringy, so I had to let it dry before finishing (which I believe is normal practice anyway). The spoon I carved yesterday from the same batch of wood and it carved beautifully without the stringy/fibrous nature of the first piece - so perhaps best to let it sit in the garage/shed for a week or two from fresh (but probably not much longer than that). Most fresh greenwood I've encountered seems pretty good to carve though.

 

[dwardo]

Lucky to have lots of lime here too. I was told the name "lime" was a reference to its older name "line" as in used for ships ropes prior to hemp so you often find it near ports.
It is great for cordage, easy to prep and very strong. Smells great too when retted and made into cordage. The wood is so soft you can go straight through pretty thick bits just with a penknife. Young leaves are also good for nibble when out, very usefull tree.