Large Banyan Block

Byron Barker

Byron Barker

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Hualien Taiwan
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Byron
@Bill12035 expressed interest in the past towards getting some Banyan. Here is a large block that’s finally getting out of the shed. 70x12x12cm. Coloration isn’t much, but the rings are really fine and sort of serrated giving it some interesting figure. Wood is seasoned now and lacks any major defects of any kind. It is surprisingly stable wood as it seasons. I cut a thin board just to see if it would bend, warp our check as it dried, but it remained completely straight and check-free. I’d like 45$ for this block plus shipping. If Bill doesn’t need it, it’ll be up for grabs.

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Hey Byron, @Byron Barker I don’t have any Banyon and would love a piece if you have any more. I’d like something 50cm long or longer, or a block suitable for a bowl blank. Please keep your eye out for me if you can, but I will wait in line behind the other interested parties. Thanks!
 
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  • #6
SA-Motors said:
@Byron Barker here’s a Banyan tree we saw in Florida last year. It was so big decided to take a picture of it. Do the ones in Taiwan get this size?
View attachment 294982
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Yes, they get massive…quickly. We had a glorious that was over a century old fall over last year in a public park. They’d wrap it in a large red bow to respect it. Shaded half the park. Fortunately, even though if fell over, they just trimmed it up and it’s already regrowing upwards just fine. Hardy stuff
 
Yeah, it’s crazy how big some of them get. It’s a wonder to me how the host tree actually survives under all the Banyan.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8
SA-Motors said:
Hey Byron, @Byron Barker I don’t have any Banyon and would love a piece if you have any more. I’d like something 50cm long or longer, or a block suitable for a bowl blank. Please keep your eye out for me if you can, but I will wait in line behind the other interested parties. Thanks!
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There is one on my drive to work that just fell into the road during a typhoon that hit 2 weeks ago. I can definitely get that length, but what width do you want? The city cut off mostly the limbs as the body wasn’t in the road. I can grab some and mill them. I’d say they’d yield a block about as big as the one listed.
 
Hey Byron, that would be great. 50 to 60cm long and 10cm x 10 square is plenty, or even 50-60cm long and 10cm x 5cm rectangler because it will be heavy to ship if it’s green.

Here’s a picture of the same tree from the other side:
IMG_1195.webp
 
Byron Barker said:
@Bill12035 expressed interest in the past towards getting some Banyan. Here is a large block that’s finally getting out of the shed. 70x12x12cm. Coloration isn’t much, but the rings are really fine and sort of serrated giving it some interesting figure. Wood is seasoned now and lacks any major defects of any kind. It is surprisingly stable wood as it seasons. I cut a thin board just to see if it would bend, warp our check as it dried, but it remained completely straight and check-free. I’d like 45$ for this block plus shipping. If Bill doesn’t need it, it’ll be up for grabs.

View attachment 294970 View attachment 294971 View attachment 294972 View attachment 294973 View attachment 294974 View attachment 294975 View attachment 294976 View attachment 294977 View attachment 294978
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What's the shipping to 12035?
 
Byron Barker said:
There is one on my drive to work that just fell into the road during a typhoon that hit 2 weeks ago. I can definitely get that length, but what width do you want? The city cut off mostly the limbs as the body wasn’t in the road. I can grab some and mill them. I’d say they’d yield a block about as big as the one listed.
Click to expand...
If you end up with a smallish offcut -- roughly 16 x 8 x 2 cm, although a bit smaller or larger is fine, or even a limb "cookie" or a length of a branch -- I'd gladly buy it for the collection. My zip code is 72032. Thanks!
 
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  • #17
Big Ry said:
Toss it in my box lol. @SA-Motors can you work with a piece of this? Cause i can just make it part of our trade if so
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Sounds good, by the way, these are the Banyan species in Taiwan. I’m fairly confident it’s the first one:
Scientific name

English name
Characteristics
Ficus microcarpa

Chinese Banyan
The iconic Taiwanese banyan, with extensive aerial roots and a massive spreading crown.
Ficus superba var. japonica

Large-leaved Banyan
Deciduous tree with large leaves, reddish fruits and prominent seasonal leaf shedding.
Ficus benjamina

Weeping Fig / White Banyan
Graceful drooping branches, numerous aerial roots and pale bark.
Ficus virgata

Philippine Fig
A tropical fig found in parts of Taiwan’s southern and offshore regions.
Ficus caulocarpa

Stem fruiting Fig
Produces figs on older branches and stems.
 
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