As promised - My Olive tree

A bit late but here are the pics I promised.

formatting link
I apologize for the quality and the banners (not popups) over which I have no control. I hope to make a better website one day soon. What you see is the olive tree (before and after), the tools used (my "truck" and saw), Some beautifull view from my village (which is actauly located inside a huge Olive grove). and some more pics - all from the process of taking down the tree.

I hope you enjoy, please ask anything - maybe give suggestions for interesting projects (remember I have a small lathe :-( , but if someone has a realy amazing idea, I might convince Eli Avisera to try it...)

All the best from Israel Moshe Eshel

Reply to
Moshe Eshel
Loading thread data ...

Moshe,

Thanks for the pictures and tour of your village.

That has got to be some of the nicest wood I have laid eyes on. I would love to get my hands on what you have for turning some pens. You are very lucky and I hope you make good use of the precious wood you have aquired.

Cheers, Bob

Reply to
Bob N

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

========================

Moshe, I was trying NOT to be jealous when you told about getting a whole olive tree, but then you had to go and show the pictures!!! With that big root ball, I'd get down to a place where it can be power washed to get the dirt and rocks out. There should be even more dramatic grain and swirls there than what you've shown here. I've only had an oportunity to turn olive one time, as a birthday present for my wife's best friend several years ago, and she still talks about it. Good luck with what you have; treat it well, and keep us posted on how it turns out.

Ken Moon Webberville, TX.

Reply to
Ken Moon

Nice pictures. You've got some gorgeous wood there, with some very intersting color and grain. I've turned some olive from California and it is a real joy to turn, and SO aromatic, you want to eat the shavings! My experience with this wood has been that it likes to crack, like many fruit woods do. You may want to process it into at least half-logs and end seal it as soon as you possibly can to avoid uncontrolled checking. Have fun with it, I know you will!

Your 4-legged helper looks very friendly, too.

Reply to
Chuck

Ouch!

I couldn't get the root ball, it was much to large for me to put in the car (or even pick up) and by the time I was ready with an axe, and a a big hammer and big chisel to split it up, someone else already took it (I think it went to some dumpster, collected by the garbage collectors). The sad sad life of living in a modern country with garbage collection :-(

But I'm quite happy with what I did get out of it, and try to turn it to good use (pun intended).

Reply to
Moshe Eshel

I've also turned olive before, and it is to eat... actualy even while cutting it with the chainsaw, it smelled so delicious - that was my sign that it is still very much usable - even before I saw the grain inside.

I think I'll take your advice as to the half (or even quarter logs), first because it sounds like a good idea, second I mostly turn spindle stuff, and third - if you look at the pictures, you center is mostly gone anyway, so no big bowl is coming out of there any time soon (unless you want one of those artsy things, which the water flows out of from the holes....)

Reply to
Moshe Eshel

Moshe.. Thank you for sharing, both the wood and a bit of your country..

I have relatives in Israel but had never seen pictures before, other than the type that tourists buy... Your area looks very much like mine here in Central California... we too, have agriculture richness where there was only desert..

Enjoy the olive.. spindle tuning is fun, but consider a few small bowls or plates to really display that wonderful grain..

Mac

formatting link
formatting link

Reply to
mac davis

I'll give it my best try - maybe borrow a lathe that can handle it from some fellow woodturner.

I have to say though, that my part of Israel was never a desert. It was always a rich and beatifull country, even more than now since in the previous centuries (1800s and 1900s) the Turkish and British empires destroyed all the beautifull natural forests that existed, the other trees besides the olives you see in the background are pine trees in man planted forests - in this case the Ben-Shemen national forest which is the largest in Israel.

There are of course places in Israel in which there was a desert before and now you see a lot of agriculture, but when you look around you still see a desert, with a few fields in the middle, very impressive indeed - but Israel hasn't realy achieved Tera-Forming yet... :-(

On another note: you should visit your relatives, I assure you, you will have a good time, and I can give you some of the Olive to take back in your suitcase...

Reply to
Moshe Eshel

How about.

formatting link

Reply to
George

Goblets probably yes, Natural edge - I think the bark isn't that stable

- maybe off one of the branches of the tree (if you saw the picture) - I will give a try and post the pictures. Thanks!

Reply to
Moshe Eshel

Magnificent wood, trade you for some cherry, oh the shipping costs! Love to see the pictures when completed.

Marc

formatting link

Reply to
marcaf

Where are you at Moshe? I spent a year in Israel in '82/'83. Most of my time was at Kibbute Ga'aton, but went to ulpan at Kibbutz Matsuva. I'd come back in a heartbeat if it wasn't for a mortgage, family, etc. Someday I do want to do it again...

...Kevin

Reply to
Kevin Miller

My Village is called Gimzo, it is right by the Ben Gurion Airport (you sometimes fly above us right before landing, which give an amzing view). Not a Kibutz but a Moshav, but Kibutz is also good :-)

Reply to
Moshe Eshel

Thanks... How did you do that bowl (#105 wormy spalted maple) and the others (#100 116), are they turnings? or maybe a combination - if turnings I would love to know how...

Reply to
Moshe Eshel

Maybe not, but I think that drip irrigation was invented and proven there?

I haven't even been back to New York to visit the relatives there for about 40 years.. i think Israel is a bit too far for us.. *g*

Mac

formatting link
formatting link

Reply to
mac davis

Hi Moshe

Thanks for the pictures, yes I can imagine the first time you looked at the log, and wondered if it would be any good, doesn't look like much at first glance, but that is very often the case with the wood we use from downed trees. It sure does not make me feel any better though, not being able to wrestle you for some of that wood, I would love to turn some of that, but now you have that problem, just don't try to hurry the drying of your roughouts, seal, bag and slow down that process, so you end up with the best possible. You have some real beautiful wood there Moshe, even the small stuff you show, you should be able to turn some real fine miniatures from that, just take care of the large wood first. I could E-mail some pic's if you like for ideas, just send me your E-mail address. It will be a few days before I am able to do this as I am leaving tomorrow morning on a trip and won't be back for a week or better. Moshe you sure are lucky to live in such a beautiful wooded area, even if the "greedy money grabbers" have done (and still are doing all over the world) so much damage, nature is resilient and is able to bounce back a lot, if given a chance.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

Reply to
l.vanderloo

That is indeed true... We did prove drip irrigation works (as to who realy invented it, I realy don't know, maybe we did...)

It seems like you don't like traveling, can't blame you when you can use the time for turning :-)

Reply to
Moshe Eshel

I do not use a lathe. Instead, a combination of grinder, chisels, and sanders. Lots of work, lots of sawdust, but rewarding results. Thanks for asking.

Reply to
marcaf

I'm very spoiled, Moshe... If we go for a trip in our RV, the Jet mini goes with us.. *g*

Mac

formatting link
formatting link

Reply to
mac davis

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.