Old growth wood in the Caribbean

[RPetry 564]

2nd plantation house built in 1823 in Anse Mamin on the island of St. Lucia. Home abandoned sometime in the 1850's when the plantation owner moved into town. 1st plantation house burned to the ground in ~1820 and was about 4 times the size.

This wood has never been cleaned or stained. The structure is still standing as seen today, without any maintenance.

True, old growth timber can last for centuries. The first picture is white cedar siding, with the detailed cornice and porch framing in indigenous red mahogany.

The second picture is "Caribbean" red cedar shakes on the sides of the house. Look how thick they are! With an easy cleaning, these shakes would look brand new, just out of the sawmill. And they are 185 years old!

True old growth, good wood, can last without any care.

Edited July 19, 2008 by RPetry

[RPetry 564]

Unfortunately, we did not take the time to get back into the rain forests located in the valleys in the interior of the island. Maybe next trip. That is where the big teak grows.

Two pictures of a genuine, indigenous, young teak tree growing along side of a secondary road. First is the tree itself.

2nd pic is a closer shot. Look at the size of the leaves, they are like dinner plates! What great wood.

[RPetry 564]

Picture is of a red, or "Honduras" mahogany tree that is indigenous to St. Lucia. Again, this was termed "small" by our guide, with the larger trees in the interior of the island.

We stopped by a roadside artisan that carved wood up in the mountains. He had a lot of well carved woodworking pieces and we purchased a fine mahogany bowl and a toy for a nephew made from coconut!

Anyway, we talked wood for awhile. Told me that the red cedar on the island grows to a circumference that he and his two brothers can barely girth holding hands!

Someday, I would like to go back and take a walk in the mountains with him. Maybe someday!

[fireandrain 39]

Looks amazing Rick! I saw some o that same Honduran Mahagony when I was down in Honduras 15 years ago. When I was down there I bought a painting that was created in fine detail on the inside of a half-shell coconut. So much to see down there, so many talented wood carvers and artisians, mind-blowing really. Speaking of old growth cedar, have a gander at these port orford cedar shingles. These skinned the cabin I lived in for 3 years when I was in college up in Oregon. Cabin built around 1906.

[RPetry 564]

Matt,

Oh man, you lived in that cabin during college? Geeze, I was packed into a basement apartment in the middle of Denver. You must have some wild stories and fond memories of times in that cabin.

Your 100 yr. old Port Orford cedar shakes prove the point. Good wood needs little, if any maintenance.

The "red cedar" on St. Lucia must be a different species than our WRC. The woodcarver had a display shelf he made for his wares, about 2 ft. wide by 5 ft. long. The shelves were each a single board, made from the surface roots of red cedar.

The cedar from the bole was similar in density and color to our cedar, but the trees must be gigantic.

Trying to talk my other half into renting a small house outside of a town down there for the winter months in a few years, and just live among the people. Bring the dogs down, and buy a used 4 WD vehicle. Try and get friendly and help a wood artisian gratis, just to learn another way of life. Would relish harvesting wood out of the rain forest, and just getting hands on experience with good wood.

Don't think I can sell the idea, but I'm very persistant!

[James 624]

Port Orford Spindles $5 .25 a piece at the local high end lumber yard.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

That is so cool. A few years ago we toured a rain forest in Puerto Rico. It was neat to see all the trees we don't see growing here around us.

Beth

[fireandrain 39]

Trying to talk my other half into renting a small house outside of a town down there for the winter months in a few years, and just live among the people. Bring the dogs down, and buy a used 4 WD vehicle. Try and get friendly and help a wood artisian gratis, just to learn another way of life. Would relish harvesting wood out of the rain forest, and just getting hands on experience with good wood.

Don't think I can sell the idea, but I'm very persistant!

That sounds like a great idea you got there Rick! Keep working on your wife w/ that idea! Man, I'd love to do that! Guess I gotta put in a few more years knocking these decks out before I can even think about it...May be an even more difficult sell for me given our mild winters out here... Rick, Do it! I'm sure you would find yourself as happy as you have ever been!

[RPetry 564]

Port Orford Spindles $5 .25 a piece at the local high end lumber yard.

Diamond Jim,

Good wood costs money. Purchased 360 PT SYP 42" spindles from Home De'pot for $.87 per. Cheap wood, but good enough for a solid oil restore of old PT.

Matt,

Any chance is a few years away. Probably a pipe dream, but dreams are what keep many of us going every day!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Check this out.... GROOVYSTUFF they offer furniture made from reclaimed lumber. Very cools stuff.

Beth

[MudDuck 20]

Matt,

Trying to talk my other half into renting a small house outside of a town down there for the winter months in a few years, and just live among the people. Bring the dogs down, and buy a used 4 WD vehicle. Try and get friendly and help a wood artisian gratis, just to learn another way of life. Would relish harvesting wood out of the rain forest, and just getting hands on experience with good wood.

Don't think I can sell the idea, but I'm very persistant!

See I would try to talk her into letting ME go down for a few months ALONE!!! She don't want to be bothered with all that "wood working" stuff. lol