What can I do with a piece of lime?

[Wacker]

Hi all, my landlord is felling what I think is a young lime tree in the garden (broad heart shaped leaves and a speckled silvery grey bark) which will yield a trunk of approx six feet in length and six inches diameter throughout.

So my question is how should I store the timber while it dries and what can I do with it?

Many thanks in advance

W


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[Wacker]

Also I hope this is the correct place to ask this question, apologies if not.


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[Mesquite]

Lime is a beautiful wood to carve, green or seasoned

Paint the ends and let it season in a dry cool place if you don't want to carve it green.

 

[Wacker]

Mesquite, many thanks for your reply. So carving is an option. I must admit I've never tried to carve anything for decorative purposes so it could be a rewarding experience.

Is there anything else it is good for? I toyed with the idea of making a hearth board and drill once it's dry but I have no friction fire experience so don't know if it's a good timber to start with!


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[cranmere]

Strip off the bark in as long strips as you can get. If it's a Tilia cordata the under layer makes fantastic cordage.

 

[Wacker]

Thanks cranmere. I'm assuming I'd need to soak it in a charcoal (lye?) solution to strengthen it before using it as cordage?


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[Blundstoned Love]

What to do with it depends on whether you have any coconut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbgv8PkO9eo

 

[mick91]

I toyed with the idea of making a hearth board and drill once it's dry but I have no friction fire experience so don't know if it's a good timber to start with!


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It's actually among the best woods to use IME. Lime board and a hazel spindle is how I learned. It's possible with most any wood but using the good stuff helps. Get cracking with friction fires it's a valuable skill and lots of fun. And remember the BCUK rule, pics or it didn't happen

 

[British Red]

Thanks cranmere. I'm assuming I'd need to soak it in a charcoal (lye?) solution to strengthen it before using it as cordage?


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Wood ash makes lye, not charcoal

 

[mick91]

Wood ash makes lye, not charcoal

Never seen that method and had to resort to Google red! Made it from reacting metallic potassium many moons ago but hardwood ash is more available. Easy enough to buy it but definitely trying to make it now!

 

[British Red]

You need a hell of a lot of logs to make a decent amount. And a raw fresh egg.

 

[mick91]

You need a hell of a lot of logs to make a decent amount. And a raw fresh egg.

My sister's wood burner will be getting a free clean then. And I presume the egg is to check concentration?

 

[Macaroon]

Lime is a fantastic timber for handling tools which will be used in a wet environment; it absorbs water almost instantly from it's surface and keeps the properties of a safe and comfortable grip. It has the added bonus of being very light, so you can have a large handle on a small tool and still keep a nice balance. It's also quite a bit more durable than it would seem to be when you have it in the hand.

Back in the day, all the top quality tools for the wet trades were handled in Lime; plastering tools, bricklayers etc., and I remember the hedge layers hereabouts would handle some of their stuff with it.

 

[British Red]

My sister's wood burner will be getting a free clean then. And I presume the egg is to check concentration?

Yep, Ideally you need to calibrate a lye stick, but use an egg at a push. Or a digital pH meter

 

[mick91]

Yep, Ideally you need to calibrate a lye stick, but use an egg at a push. Or a digital pH meter

I've got some UI and litmus kicking around somewhere

 

[milius2]

You got some of the best wood around I have some pieces that my grandfather stored and my father stored and I'm storing for the future.......... it's easy to work with, has a very smooth and soft finish and you can make anything you like with it. Last thing I made was a long scythe handle. We used it for sauna bed few years ago, fantastic properties, absorbs moisture, does not slip (as mentioned by Macaroon) and does not get hot. Cordage is great from the bark and you don't need any solutions to have a go! Just soak it in a stream or a pond or a bucket for a week and you can work it... My grandad used to make ropes from the bark for years and used it for some really heavy work. Make sure you debark it before storing. And then paint the ends if you have any paint at hand, never done that because I'd be spending a lot on paint and don't forget to have fun! You have a nice wood to go woodworking

 

[Harvestman]

Carve a spoon or three from the smaller pieces. Lime is regarded as probably the best native wood for carving because it carves easily even when seasoned, but takes fine detail well. Make a small bowl or a cup or kuksa, and a flat piece will make a small chopping board. Basically it is excellent wood. The fragments when seasoned will burn quite respectably too.

 

[Wacker]

Excellent, thanks everyone! I should have enough to be able to have a crack at a few of these 😊

I will update with pictures in the future


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