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Black Cherry Tree – The Story

From ltjgcag on 12/11/2011 1:14:37 PM

Once upon a time, oh about two years ago –

Mr. Helix made a post on the BHO discussing different types of wood that could be used in banjo construction.  I posted a reply back and said – “how about some slow-growing genuine Michigan Upper Peninsula Black Cherry?”

So the adventure began.

A month or so later, my brother and I were up at my cabin in the U.P. (lovingly referred to as “Da Yoop”) and set out for the back 40 in search of the perfect tree.  Which in our case is the tree closest to the two-track road.  It’s easier to load the wood when you can pull the trailer right up to the downed tree. 

We fired up the Husqvarna chain saw and went to work.  10 minutes later, a 75 foot tall black cherry tree about 14 inches in diameter was on the ground.  After de-limbing the top braches we were left with about a 30 foot worth of good useable log, which was cut into about 5 foot lengths.  While holding the base of the log steady and my brother cutting on the other end – that tree was just “singing” the vibes of that chain saw and resonating all the way through to my foot and ear.  It was just “talking” to me.

So we loaded up the trailer with the 4 best pieces and headed for the cabin and a well deserved beer break.

The next day, we took the logs and drove north of Newberry, Michigan to a see a friend of ours.  He is a ‘retired’ lumberjack that owns his own small saw mill near the bank of the Taquamenom River.  His mill is on his family property where he grew up with his parents who were farmers that had emigrated from Finland towards the end of the 1800’s.  Arvo is 80 years old now, and ‘retired’ to him is cutting wood in the forest 6 hours a day, three days a week and working in his saw mill 3 more days a week for 6 hours.  He says if he ever stops, he won’t be around anymore. 

So after explaining exactly what it is I was trying to do, his 24 inch saw blade was fired up, and black cherry slabs were cut from logs of the tree I fell on my property.  Arvo was excited as well about doing this as “maybe have a piece of wood I worked on be around long after I’m gone making people happy.”

We brought some of the slabs back home. Boxes were fashioned from the packing box the hot water heater I had to replace at my house.  I like to re-use what I have and not waste.  A trip to the UPS store a few days later and genuine Michigan Black Cherry was on its way to Arizona.

What started out as a comment, became a dream, and is now being transformed by the artisan Helix into one of his creations.

To have a Helix – created from a tree that I fell, slabbed by a friend of 50 years, and now in the artisans hands – priceless to me.

As for the rest of that Black Cherry?  Well, the top branches have provided heat for the sauna, campfires to while away an evening with friends and family and a few spare end blocks where I will be attempting to make some Black Cherry arm rests this winter.

I am looking forward to playing that “tree” for years to come!

3 Comments
	Helix says: 12/13/2011 5:08:57 AM I don't mean to sound poetic, but some of the tables I cut up tell me they are tired of macaroni and cheese, meaning they are glad to be used to make something else now. So with this tree and others, she fed people and nature citizens, gave 80 years, now she gets to come alive again and stay in this small gifted form until we're done several hundred years from now. I cannot enjoy these more than you people can, I have to let go and ship them to people, oh man.
	ltjgcag says: 12/13/2011 11:21:34 AM Yes indeed, she will live a lot longer in her new life.
	fixj says: 12/21/2011 6:43:44 AM ltjgcag, thanks for the background on the tree.....knowing the origin of the black cherry adds to the pride and value of owning a Helix.
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