I've been saving up my birch logs, have one long straight one I
scrounged and a bunch of various sizes from my tree. I can cut them to
the length I want the planter to be, but have never tried to hollow out
a lot. Some aren't suitable for much of anything the way they grew. I
want it to be styled like this:

http://groups.msn.com/SoutheastAlaba...Phot oID=1243

I wanted to hollow out the cut pieces of logs to make a few planters of
various sizes and use the smaller branches for "feet", two attached
perpendicularly so they will stay flat and not roll.

I don't have a lathe, don't want to buy one or learn how to use it. I
have a drill. I searched the archives and read about using an adz, and
Exocet, and a forstner bit. I've seen photos of how Russians make birch
bowls using an adz, but this would be a little more complicanted. First
the cut on both ends in a slant and rounding out into a horizontal cut,
then hollowing it out.

My wordworking skills are very minimal. Can someone advise me if I can
do this without buying too many more tools? I can borrow a circular
saw. Maybe it would be too much to tackle a project like this.
Advice, anyone?

Is there something like exacto knives only for doing bigger pieces? I
don't know if I used the right terminology, but my nephew had a set of
them for small projects with wood with all different kinds of razor
sharp blades.

"RicodJour" wrote in message
oups.com...


The planter logs in the pictures aren't real wood.

I know. I used that as a sample of what I am going after.

Birch will decay quickly if it is left outside or if the soil and
moisture are in contact with the planter interior.

That's what I was afraid of, maybe I could coat them with something?
Varnish or shellac on the inside? I don't want to ruin the rustic look
of the outside. Most of my logs I have dragged inside, but I threw one
away that had sat outside for a couple years, no noticeable decay. BUT
it wasn't subject to soil and constant moisture like a planter would.

Hollowing out a log is a lot of work. Doing it with hand tools is
possible, but it'll take quite a while.

I figured, and I don't have a whole lot of patience unless I want
something really, really bad. It might make a good winter project
though.


How about peeling your birch logs and using the bark as a veneer on a
planter built out of a more suitable wood?

I thought about that, and don't know how to peel it in large enough
pieces to amount to anything without tearing it. I did a lot of
googlingand didn't see anything you can buy exactly like I would want,
but I did see some pieces made out of peeled birch. I need to peel some
veneer off an old table and got stuck on that; in that case I was using
wet towels and a hot iron. It wasn't working. This would be a little
different as I'm not dealing with old glue.

Thanks for the input.

R

On Sat, 24 Jun 2006 19:44:47 GMT, "I Love Lucy"
wrote:


"RicodJour" wrote in message
roups.com...


The planter logs in the pictures aren't real wood.

I know. I used that as a sample of what I am going after.

Birch will decay quickly if it is left outside or if the soil and
moisture are in contact with the planter interior.

That's what I was afraid of, maybe I could coat them with something?
Varnish or shellac on the inside? I don't want to ruin the rustic look
of the outside. Most of my logs I have dragged inside, but I threw one
away that had sat outside for a couple years, no noticeable decay. BUT
it wasn't subject to soil and constant moisture like a planter would.

What about keeping the plants in a container inside the log so the
soil is not in contact?

Hollowing out a log is a lot of work. Doing it with hand tools is
possible, but it'll take quite a while.

I figured, and I don't have a whole lot of patience unless I want
something really, really bad. It might make a good winter project
though.

How about drilling all the way through at the 4 corners and then
sawing with a buck saw. That will give you a hole going all the way
through and you can put rocks under the container to get it up to the
right height. Alternatively you could not drill, but make your cuts
all the way through, lengthwise first, and then glue it back together


-Leuf

Make the style planters as you want. If they last a year, fine. If
they last 2 years that's great. At least you'll have planters for some
period of time.

If you have any experience with a chain saw, ream the logs with a chain
saw. The first one might look ugly, but you'll learn quickly how to
control the saw and you'll do a fine job. Clean up rough areas with a
chisel.

I've reamed large cedar logs (aromatic cedar), but not making the style
of planter as in your pics. The interior of my logs were decayed
already, so I just finished hollowing out the log, making a nice
upright planter. I polished the inside of mine down using 220 grit
sand paper, so they don't have any saw marks or disc sander marks. The
exterior didn't need sanding, except for a few scratches, as the bark
protected the smooth natural exterior and the work was otherwise placed
on discarded carpet. Mine are for interior use, not for outside,
though they would probably last, outside, for many years (except for
the finish). I finished them with shellac, then Spar Urethane. They
are hollow through and through, so I made braces, with copper tubing,
that support 1/2" rods (made from grounding rods), that, in turn,
supports a base onto which a pot plant sits. These planters
accommodate up to 16" potted plants. I put casters under them, and are
easily moved for vacuuming or cleaning underneath. And of course, no
two look the same.

I can't post pics on this forum's site, but I can email pics to anyone
wanting a look-see.

Sonny

"Leuf" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Jun 2006 19:44:47 GMT, "I Love Lucy"
wrote:


"RicodJour" wrote in message
groups.com...


The planter logs in the pictures aren't real wood.

I know. I used that as a sample of what I am going after.

Birch will decay quickly if it is left outside or if the soil and
moisture are in contact with the planter interior.

That's what I was afraid of, maybe I could coat them with something?
Varnish or shellac on the inside? I don't want to ruin the rustic
look
of the outside. Most of my logs I have dragged inside, but I threw
one
away that had sat outside for a couple years, no noticeable decay.
BUT
it wasn't subject to soil and constant moisture like a planter would.

What about keeping the plants in a container inside the log so the
soil is not in contact?

Each log would be a little difference size, and it would be hard to find
the right kind of container. I could line it with plastic, but I will
have to have at least one drainage hole as my plants do better w/them.


Hollowing out a log is a lot of work. Doing it with hand tools is
possible, but it'll take quite a while.

I figured, and I don't have a whole lot of patience unless I want
something really, really bad. It might make a good winter project
though.

How about drilling all the way through at the 4 corners and then
sawing with a buck saw. That will give you a hole going all the way
through and you can put rocks under the container to get it up to the
right height. Alternatively you could not drill, but make your cuts
all the way through, lengthwise first, and then glue it back together

Well, that's an idea, but I can't quite see in my mind what you are
talking about, except the second part. My optimal plan is to somehow
adhere them to an old stepladder I want to paint and incorporate it as a
birdfeeder, but the first problem I envision is that the squirrels and
chipmunks will climb over the plants and disturb them and the planters
unless I attach them firmly, but would still ruin the plants. Short of
that, there are plenty of other ways I could use them. I did like the
idea of using the narrower branches attached crosswise for feet. If
they rot or weaken, I can just replace those.

The one log is long straight and about 5-1/2 in diam.

I do have tons of nice, old panelling, but I think it is pine, again not
suitable for planters, but would be easier to work with. They are
milled on the outside, but I could turn them the other way for a
straight surface on the outside.

Maybe I'd better finish my trellis, then paint the stepladder, get
anchors on it, and go from there. I can do the planters in the winter,
too late to put much of anything in there now anyway.

I thought this up several years ago, and decided maybe there's a way
with my limited skills. There are a couple guys in the family that
could help me sort this out.

Thanks for helping with this.


-Leuf

"Sonny" wrote in message
oups.com...

Make the style planters as you want. If they last a year, fine. If
they last 2 years that's great. At least you'll have planters for
some
period of time.

That was kind of my thoughts on it.

If you have any experience with a chain saw, ream the logs with a
chain
saw. The first one might look ugly, but you'll learn quickly how to
control the saw and you'll do a fine job. Clean up rough areas with a
chisel.

I can cut the lengths easily enough with a chain saw, but going inside
with one kind of makes me cringe since I came close to losing a finger
several years ago from kickback, and it's just one of those little ones.

I've reamed large cedar logs (aromatic cedar), but not making the
style
of planter as in your pics. The interior of my logs were decayed
already, so I just finished hollowing out the log, making a nice
upright planter. I polished the inside of mine down using 220 grit
sand paper, so they don't have any saw marks or disc sander marks. The
exterior didn't need sanding, except for a few scratches, as the bark
protected the smooth natural exterior and the work was otherwise
placed
on discarded carpet. Mine are for interior use, not for outside,
though they would probably last, outside, for many years (except for
the finish). I finished them with shellac, then Spar Urethane. They
are hollow through and through, so I made braces, with copper tubing,
that support 1/2" rods (made from grounding rods), that, in turn,
supports a base onto which a pot plant sits. These planters
accommodate up to 16" potted plants. I put casters under them, and
are
easily moved for vacuuming or cleaning underneath. And of course, no
two look the same.

Those sound really creative and nice. I could use what I want inside,
too. Maybe there is something better I can do with those logs and
branches. It's too expensive to have the nicest one cut into boards,
and I don't know what may be inside.

Some of these things you can use outside in the summer months and put
away for the winter, saving on some weather damage. I have some things
I'm afraid to put outside for fear it will take somebody's fancy and
they will steal it because my yard is open, and I plan to keep it that
way. Mostly they leave people's nice things they put in their yard
alone, but you never know, I got some nice lawn chairs stolen once, and
of course bicycles when kids were home. I just finished painting some
really nice wrought iron candle/plant stakes (not the plant stands I
mentioned further down) and I'm afraid to put them out for fear someone
will come along and steal them. I hate to anchor them in concrete as
that defeats the purpose of their portability. I thought of a way to
anchor them but it would be a nuisance if I want to move them and a lot
more work besides.

I can't post pics on this forum's site, but I can email pics to anyone
wanting a look-see.

You could post them on alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking and direct us
to them. I subscribe to that group already.

I will post a photo of some plant stands I rescued from the curb after a
fire. I was going to take them to a truck power wash (they would
probably have charged me at least $20) but scrubbed them down in the
bathtub and got rid of the smoky smell. They are now painted white, and
I like them. These don't have anything to do with the original topic,
and they are already on the net so I will just post a link; otherwise I
could post them to the binaries group I mentioned. Since I found these,
I have seen similar ones, so they aren't all that unique.

http://www.white-peacock.com/Plantstands.jpg



Sonny

On Sun, 25 Jun 2006 15:38:30 GMT, "I Love Lucy"
wrote:

"Leuf" wrote in message
.. .

What about keeping the plants in a container inside the log so the
soil is not in contact?

Each log would be a little difference size, and it would be hard to find
the right kind of container. I could line it with plastic, but I will
have to have at least one drainage hole as my plants do better w/them.

Get the containers first, maybe in a couple different sizes if the
logs are vastly different sizes. Use the container to layout the
hole.

How about drilling all the way through at the 4 corners and then
sawing with a buck saw. That will give you a hole going all the way
through and you can put rocks under the container to get it up to the
right height. Alternatively you could not drill, but make your cuts
all the way through, lengthwise first, and then glue it back together

Well, that's an idea, but I can't quite see in my mind what you are
talking about, except the second part.

With a saw like this (watch for line wrap):

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com...oducts_id/1639

You can take the blade off the frame, thread it through the holes and
then reattach to the frame. You can turn the blade so that the frame
is off to the side to make the cuts along the length. If the log is
not too long you could use a plain old bow saw, but you'd be limited
by the depth of the frame - you could work in to the middle from both
ends though. It'll give your arms a good workout.


-Leuf

"Leuf" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 25 Jun 2006 15:38:30 GMT, "I Love Lucy"
wrote:

"Leuf" wrote in message
. ..

What about keeping the plants in a container inside the log so the
soil is not in contact?

Each log would be a little difference size, and it would be hard to
find
the right kind of container. I could line it with plastic, but I will
have to have at least one drainage hole as my plants do better w/them.

Get the containers first, maybe in a couple different sizes if the
logs are vastly different sizes. Use the container to layout the
hole.

If I can find the containers. Found one in the basement missing the
drip tray. Looked at most of the big box stores and didn't see a thing
like it. It was designed to be a little planter that sits on the window
ledge. I'll look on the net. There is a lot of stuff out there, found
one kind of rolled edge planter for something else at Big Lots. Looked
all over the net. Once I had a mfr name, I googled it and there are a
whole bunch more in different sizes. No rectangular ones though.

Once a made a cute little log planter in ceramics, long gone, didn't
think to make a drip catch or put a hole in it. Maybe that has lurked
in my mind and is why I now would like some birch planters like it.

How about drilling all the way through at the 4 corners and then
sawing with a buck saw. That will give you a hole going all the way
through and you can put rocks under the container to get it up to
the
right height. Alternatively you could not drill, but make your cuts
all the way through, lengthwise first, and then glue it back
together

Well, that's an idea, but I can't quite see in my mind what you are
talking about, except the second part.

With a saw like this (watch for line wrap):

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com...oducts_id/1639

You can take the blade off the frame, thread it through the holes and
then reattach to the frame. You can turn the blade so that the frame
is off to the side to make the cuts along the length. If the log is
not too long you could use a plain old bow saw, but you'd be limited
by the depth of the frame - you could work in to the middle from both
ends though. It'll give your arms a good workout.

Just what my arms need; they aren't very strong. Never heard of a saw
like that, but do understand what you're talking about. The only saw I
knew that would cut a curve was the good old coping saw which wouldn't
work on a heavy log. I think people with fancier woodworking equipment
have scroll saws or something they can cut curves with, maybe not this.
If I hollowed it out first, a coping saw might work.

Anyhow, I saved the link and jotted it down in my notebook.

If I got that saw, what else could I use it for? It isn't that
expensive compared to other things I've wanted.

Maybe my granddaughter's boyfriend can help me with some of this. He's
pretty handy with tools, give me a jump start.

I don't think I'll be able to find the right kind of planters in the
right sizes though. I'll have to line them with heavy plastic, cut a
drainage hole, maybe stick in some coconut matting or spangham (sp?)
moss and potting soil. Doesn't have to be perfect. And doesn't have to
last forever.

Thanks for all the help. I always regret I didn't pay more attention
when my father tried to teach me how to use tools. What I do know, I've
sure learned the hard way. I may end up scrapping that project, but
sure would like to find a use for these birch logs other than burning
them or stacking them by the fireplace. One smaller straight one I cut
to size to prop a window open with it. I changed all the sash cord
once, now half of it needs doing again, and that window works a little
differently. Big deal.




-Leuf

I can't post pics on this forum's site, but I can email pics to anyone
wanting a look-see.

You could post them on alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking and direct us
to them. I subscribe to that group already.

I thought the ABPW picture site was this forum's picture site. I don't
subscribe to ABPW (Am I required to, in order to post pics?) and I
can't see or find, anywhere, where I can post pics to there. Within
the past month, someone posted a link to the ABPW that I was able to
connect with (before, when someone posted a link, I wasn't able to
connect....?), so only recently have I able to view the pics there.

Sonny

"Sonny" wrote in message
ups.com...


I can't post pics on this forum's site, but I can email pics to
anyone
wanting a look-see.

You could post them on alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking and direct
us
to them. I subscribe to that group already.

I thought the ABPW picture site was this forum's picture site. I
don't
subscribe to ABPW (Am I required to, in order to post pics?) and I
can't see or find, anywhere, where I can post pics to there. Within
the past month, someone posted a link to the ABPW that I was able to
connect with (before, when someone posted a link, I wasn't able to
connect....?), so only recently have I able to view the pics there.

Let's see, I never had reason to post to that particular one yet but
have posted many times to other binaries groups. First, yes, you have
to subscribe, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Maybe the link was bad or the photo dropped from the server (three days
is about it for binaries unless you use giganews or some other service)?
I don't know how you link to a post from usenet unless it is in the
google archives and google doesn't archive binaries. I think there
might be a way using the message number or something, never got that
expert with it. There are some services that archive binaries longer
but they are so cluttery I don't bother even trying to find anything on
them.

Anyway, most binaries groups work fine for me. First you subscribe,
then you write a post and attach a photo. Just like attaching a photo
to an email. Just make sure your photo isn't too big because people
don't like that.

If I wanted to direct people to a photo I posted on ABPW I would say
"look for my post with title such and such" and of course tell them it
is in ABPW.. A lot of people would know what I was talking about, I
suppose some wouldn't. At one time I was clueless about all this
myself. They (binaries) only last a few days for me, then they are
dropped from the news servers. And sometimes my server "loses" things;
i.e., it never picks it up for some reason. Then you see a bunch of
's and wonder what the heck people are talking about and why didn't I
get to see the photo or original post.

It seems I get to see everything posted in this group normally, even
that garbage I deleted from that pest. Some groups have so many
messages, maybe there is a limit and you have to raise it in your
newsreader. I'm kind of behind on some of that because I now use OE and
don't know how to configure everything correctly, don't want to know
actually because I run out of patience with it.


Sonny

In article t, I Love
Lucy wrote:

I don't have a lathe, don't want to buy one or learn how to use it. I
have a drill. I searched the archives and read about using an adz, and
Exocet, and a forstner bit. I've seen photos of how Russians make birch
bowls using an adz, but this would be a little more complicanted. First
the cut on both ends in a slant and rounding out into a horizontal cut,
then hollowing it out.

My wordworking skills are very minimal. Can someone advise me if I can
do this without buying too many more tools? I can borrow a circular
saw. Maybe it would be too much to tackle a project like this.
Advice, anyone?

You say you have a chainsaw? Cut a slab off the log, lengthways. Cut
out the inside as you wish. Nail the slab back on.

Fill with dirt, plant flowers.

Sat, Jun 24, 2006, 6:40pm (EDT+4) (I*Love*Lucy)
doth mumble:
I've been saving up my birch logs, snip. I want it to be styled like
this: snip

Simple. Cut the top off. Cut the sides off. Cut the bottom off.
Cut the ends off of the center portion. Fasten the bottom, sides,
ends, into a trouch. Viola, instant ugly planter. No prob.



JOAT
Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal

"Dave Balderstone" wrote in message
news:270620062242517116%dave@N_O_T_T_H_I_Sbalderst one.ca...
In article t, I
Love
Lucy wrote:

I don't have a lathe, don't want to buy one or learn how to use it.
I
have a drill. I searched the archives and read about using an adz,
and
Exocet, and a forstner bit. I've seen photos of how Russians make
birch
bowls using an adz, but this would be a little more complicanted.
First
the cut on both ends in a slant and rounding out into a horizontal
cut,
then hollowing it out.

My wordworking skills are very minimal. Can someone advise me if I
can
do this without buying too many more tools? I can borrow a circular
saw. Maybe it would be too much to tackle a project like this.
Advice, anyone?

You say you have a chainsaw? Cut a slab off the log, lengthways. Cut
out the inside as you wish. Nail the slab back on.

That might work if I can figure out a way to hold the log stable. I
couldn't cut very accurately with the log lying on the ground in the
usual manner. My inventory is very limited as to tools and equipment.
I'll think about it and will figure out some thing I can improvise with
and, hopefully, safe at the same time.


Fill with dirt, plant flowers.

"J T" wrote in message
...
Sat, Jun 24, 2006, 6:40pm (EDT+4) (I Love Lucy)
doth mumble:
I've been saving up my birch logs, snip. I want it to be styled like
this: snip

Simple. Cut the top off. Cut the sides off. Cut the bottom off.
Cut the ends off of the center portion. Fasten the bottom, sides,
ends, into a trouch. Viola, instant ugly planter. No prob.

I just bought an ugly one at Goodwill. It was made from shallow slices
of hollowed out branches of some kind and has rough paint on it which I
like, could use a little touchup with what looks a little like plastic
lanyard material that has come loose in a couple places but I can use it
as is, plants will cover the defects. Maybe they were hollowed out
after they were sliced off. That would work.

Maybe I could copy this one in different sizes; it's more of a basket
but I could leave the handle off. It's laced together somehow.



JOAT
Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal