i'll make a spoon from some tomorrow and stick it up here, i've got loads of the stuff in my shed.
Rhododendron
- Thread starter Fredcompanybushcraft
- Start date
The reason I was asking was that I'll be in my uncle's wood in Dorset for a few days in the summer.
It's been taken over by rhododendrons for a long time, and he really hates them.
So what I thought I could do (with the help of my friends) is make something nice for him out of the thing he hates so much.
Fred
It's been taken over by rhododendrons for a long time, and he really hates them.
So what I thought I could do (with the help of my friends) is make something nice for him out of the thing he hates so much.
Fred
You can make ENORMOUS spoons out of it 
This one holds approx 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) and is a greedy git's sized soup spoon.
The bent knife is made from an old steak knife and the phone in the background is an HTC Touch (Elf) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Touch
Food safe? No idea... check with Kew before you use Rhody for food - I've been too lazy to check so far, but then I enjoy carving more than soup!
This one holds approx 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) and is a greedy git's sized soup spoon.
The bent knife is made from an old steak knife and the phone in the background is an HTC Touch (Elf) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Touch
Food safe? No idea... check with Kew before you use Rhody for food - I've been too lazy to check so far, but then I enjoy carving more than soup!
heres a spoon i just knocked together from a bit of rhody from a 6" dia. log that has been seasoned for a few years.
the bad quality doesnt do the beautiful grain any justice, neither do my rushed spoon carving skills though lol. it really is a very nice wood to work with, very consistent and smooth with a very rewarding finish on your piece.
havent tried working with it green yet but i'll give that a shot soon, all my rhody is from a massive heap of it i found in the woods from when they had been doing some clearing.
ATB
TJ
the bad quality doesnt do the beautiful grain any justice, neither do my rushed spoon carving skills though lol. it really is a very nice wood to work with, very consistent and smooth with a very rewarding finish on your piece.
havent tried working with it green yet but i'll give that a shot soon, all my rhody is from a massive heap of it i found in the woods from when they had been doing some clearing.
ATB
TJ
Spoonage!
Nice spoons TJ and Adze!
I might have to try making one of those spoon knives while I'm there.
I'm sure my uncle has a blowtorch somewhere!
Nice spoons TJ and Adze!
I might have to try making one of those spoon knives while I'm there.
I'm sure my uncle has a blowtorch somewhere!
I'd say the surest way to make it food-safe would be to use the bowl as firewood! Why take the risk when there are so many other proven materials out there?
Interestingly, this subject was on TV the other day. They are trying to remove the hundreds of acres of Rhodies in Snowdonia. They kill them by drilling a couple of small holes low in the stem and then just putting a few drops of neat Roundup into the hole.
I noticed Mull has the same problem when I was there last summer.
Cheers,
Broch
I noticed Mull has the same problem when I was there last summer.
Cheers,
Broch
I was concerned about Rhoddie burning so enquired about it's toxicity* with the Horticultural society & Kew & the Rhododendron society i have their reports on computor somewhere, it is as safe to burn as any other wood/leaves (they all give off toxins) when handling it can cause exma* the plants they all said DO NOT burn was AZALEA & LAURAL
