Root table_Acer Campestre_580 x 500 x 70 mm

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 In the nearby woodland/forest,  there was a  Field maple with a quite special growth pattern.   The trunk has been squeezed into the compressed V shape right in the middle of the sizeable trunk.   Anytime I was passing around the tree I used to look at it with the thought -  there must be very an  interesting pattern on the crosscut due to the compression.   Great material for a root table or a jita.    Would feel stupid to cut the tree just to get it -  not my ownership of the place to start with and the life of a healthy tree to weigh against my desire on the other hand...

Coincidentally,  there was a strong storm wind at the early spring of 2024, resulting in a lot of damaged trees in that area, including the maple.   Bad luck for the tree and lucky stroke for me.    The tree has lost its crown and the forest worker with a chainsaw has helped me to get the part of the trunk I wanted.    EASY.    But the labour was only about to start.    How to get the block of wood  from the woodland to my place?    Being quite optimistic, I thought that fixing the block to a robust metal frame of my backpack and taking a few hundred meters to my car would make it.   OK.   Fixing the block to the frame -  not a big issue.  But now, how to get it on my back?   It was much heavier than I thought no chance to get the straps over my shoulders.  Idea - will sit on my back, and in that way, I will get the frame on my back.   Done.   Now I need to get up... gosh, but how can I possibly do it?   I could not lift my buttocks from the ground.   Idea - if I lie on my stomach I may be able to get on all fours and  then gradually just on my legs.  Sounds great.  Reality? I was lying there as a frog not being able to lift a single inch... 

And then it was again the onlooking lumberjack who has helped me once more.  He has stopped laughing, helped me to get back on my buttocks and finally has helped me to stand up.   OK,  now I need to get to my car.   Heavily leaning forward I have managed to make the first 50m, feeling that I will have a heart attack  if I do not stop immediately.   Stopped  and leaned the backpack against a tree.   A couple of minutes rest and another 20 - 30 steps before the next stop.  And the same process was repeated many times to cross the distance of about 400 m to get to my car.   Loaded to a boot of my car and unloaded at my place.    Nearly 80 kg of fresh wood.    Months of continual slow drying and gradual removal of material to minimize cracking and finally more than a week of chiseling and burrs carving.     

The grain of wood looks reasonably good.   Yes, I have expected slightly more but that's life.  Maybe next time..





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