ASHPOTS@AOL.COM on sun 4 apr 04
I have ordered some stuff from a company to make cane handles,, BUT,,, i have
wild grape growing all over this place.. Some of it is about 3 to 4 inches
thick at the base.. Higher up the trees it gets smaller..
Anyway,,, i really want to use some of this grape vine.. My question is
HOW????
When is the best time to pick the vine??? Does it need to be soaked???? If
any of you are using wild grape and are willing to share info please email me.
Mark
Lookout Mountain Ga
Susan Fox-Hirschmann on sun 4 apr 04
In a message dated 4/4/2004 10:55:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
ASHPOTS@AOL.COM writes:
<< Anyway,,, i really want to use some of this grape vine.. My question is
HOW????
When is the best time to pick the vine??? Does it need to be soaked???? If
any of you are using wild grape and are willing to share info please email
me. >>
You want to pick that vine close to t he time that you are going to use
it.....then while the vines are still moist roll them into a large wreath - like
piece and tie up with string.
When you are ready to use them.....you need to soak them for about 30 min in
cold water in a cement trough (that is about the only size that will hold what
you want to work with)....I use old fashioned clothes pins to pin the work
together before I do the pieces and tie up with hand pounded black ash, or cane
or reeds. Of course you will have to soak the ash, cane or reeds to complete
that procedure.
you can take a look at my sites to see what I have done with grape vines...
best of luck
Susan
Annandale Va
www.silverhawk.com/ex99/hirschmann
www.craftsonline.com/artpottery.html
wayneinkeywest on sun 4 apr 04
Mark:
I've used wild grape for other forms of "art" but not handles.
What worked for me was to use smaller diameter stems
when the plant had already sprouted (had sap running in it).
It was a relatively easy matter to form the vine into the
shape I wanted, then attach it to a form of some sort
and let it dry "in shape".
You could easily use a bent piece of tubing and some
twist ties from loaves of bread to hold it to the tubing,
and allow it to dry in the shape of the curve you need.
Also found that the creepers (the runners that attach
to everything on the very end of the new vine) were
easy to use to wrap smaller diameters together to
form one solid "piece" from many. Once dried out,
they will stay in
place, but tend to get brittle over time (years). If you
have basswood in your area, stirps of the bark can
be used to form a smoother, flatter "wrap". The First
Peoples used to use it in CT for making baskets.
Strong stuff when dried. Thinner strips of willow bark
also. Most any green bark will work, and it's easy to
work with.
Steam or soaking in hot water on drier vine stem
helps form it into the shape you want, much the same
as bending willow for chair making. I'd suggest
googling that and seeing what kind of info you can
come up with.
One amusing side note (from experience):
Make darn sure that what you're grabbing as
"grape vine" isn't actually poison ivy.
Won't make THAT mistake again :>)
Hope that helps,
Wayne Seidl
> I have ordered some stuff from a company to make cane handles,,
BUT,,, i have
> wild grape growing all over this place.. Some of it is about 3 to
4 inches
> thick at the base.. Higher up the trees it gets smaller..
> Anyway,,, i really want to use some of this grape vine.. My
question is
> HOW????
>
> When is the best time to pick the vine??? Does it need to be
soaked???? If
> any of you are using wild grape and are willing to share info
please email me.
>
> Mark
> Lookout Mountain Ga
>
>
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elca branman on sun 4 apr 04
I have successfully used wisteria vines, cutting it in the fall and if I
remember correctly, it was still pliable, or, if my brain is as faulty as
usual,dry it and then soak before using
Elca Branman
http://www.elcabranman.com
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