Stump Table (Before and after Pics)

[Chris Foley]

Well, I was looking at this photo this morning just mezmerized when my girlfriend (who is an artist) walked by and said "that is amazing". Coming from her that is one heck of a compliment.

[Chris Barnett]

Kinda like the body....mysterious but with bark it looks good too. Think I perhaps misread the part that says what kind of tree it was, but obviously coniferous?

Trees everywhere are shaking, in fear of loosing their stumps...but what a way to go....

[Gene O. Carpenter]

Absolutly breath taking! True works of Art! Oh to have the knowlege and ability to creat works like this!

Now someone tell me that I'm not crazy, that they also see the faces and figures in these pieces of Art! No one has mentioned seeing them yet but if you look closley at the 1st finished photo there appear to be 2 long legged birds standing erect and facing each other, just in the lamp.
The glass rest's on a large birds head,it's left eye is between the White fingers,his beak protruding thru the opening in that White area and the old man with white hair and hair on the right is obvious! Go back to the birds beak and look again, it's also some type of Amphibians head. Look at the old man's beard! There's a hooded mans head and face.
The 2nd photo you can't miss Merlin from King Arthur and Robbin Hoods time on the right! The long white stripe at the bottom appears to be a big hand,paw or claw ,grasping a horse. There's it's bushy tail.light shining on it's rump and you can see that this unfortunate horse has it's head turned looking back back wards. I'm not overly religious but the top end of that white stripe ends at a veiled womans head. There is a face turned slightly to her right and looking pleadingly upward..Sorta reminds me of Religious Icons of "Mary" that I have seen.
The last photo looking down at the end grain is a Tom Turkey with tail spread. Then on left is that Amphibians head. Then center is "Smokey the Bear's" face..there's "Merlin" but he's lost that Magical look and now there's man's face that appears to be terrified of something, maybe the bald pointed Gnome's head and face laying sideways to the right.
Am I the only one that see's these features locked into this guy's work?...............

[Ron Householder]

All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What species of wood is that?

Hi David,

This is Western Juniper, it grows in the high desert of Central and Eastern Oregon. This was cut down during a land clearing project, and I was allowed to rescue it from the burn pile.

Thanks for your comments,

Ron

[Richard Wolf]

Very well done, and a delight to look at. I just hope your motivation is not just a selfish one,(trying to sell books) and you will share some of your skills and knowledge with this forum. And it is not that I would expect anyone to give away knowledge that is available for sale, I am just hoping that your expertise flows over to other threads.

Richard

[Ray Klear]

Absolutly breath taking! True works of Art! Oh to have the knowlege and ability to creat works like this!

Now someone tell me that I'm not crazy, that they also see the faces and figures in these pieces of Art! No one has mentioned seeing them yet but if you look closley at the 1st finished photo there appear to be 2 long legged birds standing erect and facing each other, just in the lamp.
The glass rest's on a large birds head,it's left eye is between the White fingers,his beak protruding thru the opening in that White area and the old man with white hair and hair on the right is obvious! Go back to the birds beak and look again, it's also some type of Amphibians head. Look at the old man's beard! There's a hooded mans head and face.
The 2nd photo you can't miss Merlin from King Arthur and Robbin Hoods time on the right! The long white stripe at the bottom appears to be a big hand,paw or claw ,grasping a horse. There's it's bushy tail.light shining on it's rump and you can see that this unfortunate horse has it's head turned looking back back wards. I'm not overly religious but the top end of that white stripe ends at a veiled womans head. There is a face turned slightly to her right and looking pleadingly upward..Sorta reminds me of Religious Icons of "Mary" that I have seen.
The last photo looking down at the end grain is a Tom Turkey with tail spread. Then on left is that Amphibians head. Then center is "Smokey the Bear's" face..there's "Merlin" but he's lost that Magical look and now there's man's face that appears to be terrified of something, maybe the bald pointed Gnome's head and face laying sideways to the right.
Am I the only one that see's these features locked into this guy's work?...............

While not as detailed as you I was wondering if anybody seen the faces myself. But I was a little hesitant that people would think I was drinking.

[Bob Feeser]

That is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life. It only goes to show us that no matter how much we cut, shape, mold, and build, nothing can compete with the beauty found in nature. It takes a special talent to capture it, see it, and bring it out, while still maintaining it's incredible beauty. My hat is off to you. I am saving the pictures so I can come back from time to time, and remind myself, what we are all a part of.

[Pat Germain]

If we buy the book, we'll find out Ron just uses the stump to create a silicone mold. The mold is then shipped to China where it's duplicated and filled with plastic thousands of times per hour. Chinese factory workers then "finish it" with paint and sealer.

Actually, those are way cool! If the book has good substance, I might bite.

[Craig D Peltier]

If we buy the book, we'll find out Ron just uses the stump to create a silicone mold. The mold is then shipped to China where it's duplicated and filled with plastic thousands of times per hour. Chinese factory workers then "finish it" with paint and sealer.

Actually, those are way cool! If the book has good substance, I might bite.

Its painted lead on the outside too.. The chinese will find ways to get it into the country.


As far as the stump goes, its not for every house but the contrasting colors work well together and to get it so clean without any defect is amazing.Nice job! Im sure theres a nitch for that kind of stuff if you can tap into it.
Like writing a book.

[James Manning]

Ron,

WOW........

Truely amazing work, this brings back memories of when I was a kid we use to make cypress knee lamps. I for one put in a order for your book this morning so rush it out to me because if I can create just one lamp that looks as good as yours it will be worth it. At work we deal with aged pine tree stumps and we have several very large tables with glass tops made from some of these stumps, and they look great. These were made better than 60-70 years ago and we do not get stumps this size anymore so they are special indeed.

thanks again for sharing.

[Ron Householder]

How do you get the outside off?

silly question huh? how do you get the bark and all that off and preserve the nice interior?

To express my WOWness again. that thing looks like a medical specimen of a tree stump. i cant put it any other way.

WOW.

v/r

dan

Hi Dan,

The first step is to remove the bark, dirt and debris with my 3500 psi pressure washer.

Thanks for your comments,

Ron

[Cary Swoveland]

Fabulous work, Ron. When I saw the thread title "Stump Table", I expected something hokey, and almost gave it a pass. Glad I didn't. I would also compliment you on the photography. It's especially stunning with the black backdrop.

Cary

[Bruce Benjamin]

Hi David,

This is Western Juniper, it grows in the high desert of Central and Eastern Oregon. Ron

My brother lives in Bend, Or. and I've seen quite a few twisted and gnarled trees, (future stumps?) like this. I never really gave them a second thought until now. In the past I've seen some cool things sort of in the same category as this done with drift wood from the ocean but nothing really compared to this table. I don't know what you charge for those tables but I can't imagine that you would have any trouble selling these for darn near any price you want in the right market. Your photography is first rate too.

I've seen lots of projects on this and other WW forums, many of them displaying outstanding WW talent and skill. While this table doesn't appear to require the same type of joinery or wood shaping skills as most of the work, it's probably the most beautiful piece I've ever seen on any of the forums. I realize that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I know what I like. Thanks very much for posting this and please feel free to post more pictures of your work. I'll bet you get tired of constantly hearing raving comments on your work...Or maybe not. I wouldn't.

Bruce

[Gene O. Carpenter]

Ray,
It appears we must be "nippin" off the same bottle!
Maybe we're not so blind after all!
Gene "hic-cup"!

[Scott Rollins]

My 4-1/2 year old daughter looked over my shoulder when I was mystified over this masterpiece. She said it best..."WOW that is bootiful! I never seen nothin' like that before! Is it a talking tree?" I am amazed.