How To Preserve A Saguaro Cactus Skeleton

• #one

Living in Arizona, I have a few dead saguaro cactus in my yard, and I was curious if anyone had worked with it before? Or if anyone knows of a site, explaining what kind of prep is required to work with saguaro?

I've done quite a few cholla projects, got a bunch of it lying around the thousand likewise, but was hoping I could do something unique or interesting with the saguaro. Still has the skin and needles, it's been down for a couple of years...

Joe Southward.

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• #two

Probably should be soaked in cactus juice first.

• #3

Probably should be soaked in cactus juice get-go.

I was planning on doing that anyways, equally I practice with the cholla. The cholla is already bare, the saguaro notwithstanding has it's needles and skin,and I'm not sure how to get to just the wood skeleton of it.

• #4

Accept you tried slicing one open to see what kind of construction it has inside?

• #5

Have yous tried slicing 1 open to run across what kind of structure it has inside?

Not as of yet, only it does make sense to really expect at what is in there first...

• #6

OK hither is a question (perchance a dumb one) why would you need to soak a cactus in cactus juice?

• #7

OK hither is a question (maybe a dumb one) why would you need to soak a cactus in cactus juice?

Cactus Juice is a make of resin used to stabilize forest.

Anyways, I did cut it open up, and fifty-fifty though it'south been expressionless for several years, it'south still meaty inside. A lot of flesh to cut to get to the ribs, or the skeleton. More endeavour than I'm wanting to put forth right now...

• #8

Might endeavour running across a chunk of it with a pressure washer to meet if the "meat" can be blasted abroad..

• #nine

OK regarding my dumb question I was just beingness a Smart A, which I am good at, so I did some inquiry and information technology seams that the material to be stabilized must be dried and the "meat" would probably exist full of moisture.
My suggestion would be to make a

lawn

sand box ornament until nature turns it into a bunch of sticks, which probably won't be proficient for anything.

• #ten

Joe,
I find what you're contemplating fascinating. Is there everyone out at that place that has ever turned saquaro? I googled Saguaro sculpture and found enough of metallic items - nothing using the bodily cloth.
Look at https://www.flickr.com/photos/cybermynd/5537586940/ - there is conspicuously a woody structure.
It's all about problem solving. I've establish that 9 out of 10 ideas are really dumb - get decorated and get those outset 9 out of the style. And be open up in your efforts - there are a bunch of regulars on this forum that will turn back-flips to share their experience and caused knowledge.
You lot'll come upwards with something uniquely yours. I tin assure there are some serious galleries out there that will jump all over a unique concept.

• #eleven

OK regarding my impaired question I was just being a Smart A, which I am good at, so I did some inquiry and information technology seams that the textile to be stabilized must exist dried and the "meat" would probably exist full of wet.
My suggestion would be to make a

lawn

sand box ornament until nature turns it into a bunch of sticks, which probably won't exist good for anything.

I'm sure that since Joe purchased and used Cactus juice he is aware of the moisture outcome. We baked everything to get the moisture out.

• #12

OK here is a question (perhaps a impaired one) why would you demand to soak a cactus in cactus juice?

My father always said the only dumb question was the 1 not asked. We learn by asking. If I had five cents for every question asked on the forum, I could have a 50X75 shop with all the latest tools.

• #13

I'm sure that since Joe purchased and used Cactus juice he is aware of the wet result. We baked everything to get the moisture out.

I as well Googled saguaro and it would appear that the woody part is merely a bunch of sticks then drying information technology would appear to be a useless waste of time.

• #14

Ive seen projects on the web where cut wood or sticks were cast in resin to make some beautiful work. So it depends on finding something readily bachelor and being in the mood to do something with information technology.

• #xv

Ive seen projects on the web where cutting wood or sticks were cast in resin to make some beautiful work. So information technology depends on finding something readily available and existence in the mood to practice something with it.

I usually do these types of things all the time... I've used a agglomeration of Oleander branches in resin to make lots of stuff, also as cholla... I've fastened a collage of some of the stuff I've done...

I cut my cactus open, cut away some of the meat, and saguaro wood is pretty much the same as cholla wood... The ribs are unremarkably very long (equally long as the cactus is tall) and is highly valued sine it's illegal to cut a saguaro downwardly, you lot have to notice i that's been dead for a very, very long time and the flesh has decomposed enough to harvest the ribs...

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• #16

One of the cooler uses I have seen for saguaro was tool handles.
Bonnie Klein had some personal tools ( not for sale ) that she had used the skeleton 'forest' equally a handle.
Small tools, 1/iv" spindle gouge and smaller.
Felt good in the hand.

Source: https://www.aawforum.org/community/threads/turning-saguaro.15824/

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