A while back I solicited advice re accelerated drying of recently cut tree stumps.
Thought you might like to see the finished 'project'.
The gavel and handle were from a locust stump that I let get checked a bit before cutting a piece out of the stump.
The plaque is a quartersawn slice of an oak stump. I was able to retain the bark and stabilize the pith with CA.
All parts were dried in a microwave over a period of a month(6 weeks for the plaque). The locust was 'kinda dark' in the middle when I drilled the handle hole:rolleyes:. The oak shavings were a bit damp the last few passes through the planer but the surface was pristine!.
The brackets were made from an end sliced off the plaque. The brackets were secured with one screw and a pin riding in a slot(to allow any further shrinking). It was made in KY and is now residing in CO.
A bit of shaping was done on the face edge of the end grain and that contoured surface was painted gold(gilding the lily?).
The lettering etc. was laser engraved(epilog/woodcraft) and filled with darker wood putty.
The scary part of his project was the Deja Vu(devine guidance?) that produced a chain of events. The site of the condo had the trees cut down the month after the honoree died. I became aware of the tree cutting a month later. Having recent read about microwave drying, I decided to try that on some of the trees parts that had been cut down. Upon going there to procure some tree parts, I discovered the stumps. I examined the oak stump only to discover the number of annual rings matched the tenure of the honoree(It was a sapling when he 'started'). I inquired about the possibility of getting a vector generated file of the logo in August - They had just 'recreated' it the month before!
The beads and grooves are symbolic of the address and the number of board members and his years of service(26+).
P.S. The back has T slots for wall hanging including one at the CG with the gavel attached. The holes in the brackets that the handle passes through are compound drilled so that the gavel slants properly when the plaque is either vertical or horizontal.(SS made that an easy task!!!)
P.P.S. The plaque is 1 1/4" thick.
