Did
you ever grab one of those big vines growing in the
woods and go Tarzan swinging? Or, to be more honest, how
many times did you go swinging? My answer is "one
too many" or "how Bill broke his arm in the
4th Grade".
I got curious about appearances a
couple years ago, and cut a section out of a vine about
3" in diameter. It cut fairly well when I got the
band saw on it, and gave only very minor problems when
planed and sanded. The colors are shades of tan and
brown with a very distinctive grain pattern, of medium
texture.
Overall, it would be a fun
"play" wood for small parts, inlays, or trim.
I wouldn't trust the strength, delicate creature that I
am, for chair parts or legs as main parts, however. My
sample dried quite easily, finished fairly well, and
simply looks unusual and distinctive.
Besides, grapevine chopping is a
common part of "TSI", or Timber Stand
Improvement, and any vines you cut will help forest
management just a little bit. Be careful of what you cut
if going after grapevines - I have seen poison ivy vines
large enough to saw, also I have NO idea what the
"saw timber volume" of grapevines is in
Tennessee, nor any idea of the National Champions
specimen.
The intarsia Raccoon was
made from Grapevine wood by Rick Hutcheson.
