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Woodcrafters solve a problem creatively

Hurricane Jeanne dropped the 70-footer on their roof. Now their problem is solved by creative volunteers.

By ROBERT SAMUELS
Published January 16, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - For four months, a 70-foot-tall eucalyptus tree has sprawled across the back yard of Karalee and Mel Bidwell's home, pushed over by the high winds of Jeanne.

The tree that had once shaded the house on muggy days turned into "70-foot-tall monster," said Karalee Bidwell.

Branches stretched from their home at 8100 14th St. N and into the street, blocking traffic for days after the tree fell. City crews cleared away the part in the road, but the rest stayed put. Tree limbs rested on their tile roof, swinging and puncturing the windows in the powder blue house, causing leaks in the ceiling.

The cost of removing the tree was going to be at least $5,000, Karalee Bidwell said. Their insurance company was already saturated with clients who didn't even have roofs, she said, so their tree didn't merit much attention. They understood, but it was odd living with a huge tree across their property.

Mel Bidwell bought a chain saw and chipped away at the job, including the branch pushing down their roof. But it was a big tree and a big job, and most of the work remained even after all these months.

Finally, a few days ago, she contacted a group of wood-happy craftsmen. Members of St. Petersburg's Woodcrafters Guild take lumber and turn it into mantelpieces, birdhouses and bowls - for free.

"It's a godsend," said Karalee Bidwell, a legal assistant.

Last week, Randy Watson's power saw ripped through the tree. A massive part of the tree is still left, but members of the guild said they will continue slicing lumber from the tree so long as the Bidwells let them.

"It's such a wonderful hobby for so many baby-boomers," said Mark Miller, a mobile home park manager and past president of the guild (www.stpetewoodguild.com) "And Florida is blessed with so many wonderful trees. Why am I going to buy furniture when I could have the satisfaction of making it myself?"

Miller came to the Bidwell's home to see fellow member Randy Watson use the Alaskan saw mill, a piece of equipment fabled in the world of amateur woodcrafting. With Richard Samay, the three rolled a log - they estimated the weight at 1,100 pounds - to the edge of the lawn.

First they sawed off the bark, revealing a smooth pink surface underneath. Then Samay used a metal clamp to strap on two wooden levelers to make sure any more cuts would come even. Watson turned his device, and started slicing a 2-foot deep, 10-foot long chunk of lumber into 11/4-inch planks. Salmon-colored sawdust spilled out the saw's end, landing in a powdery stack.

The planks will be put in a kiln, a shed Watson built to quickly dry the wood. The process can take as long as a year, but Watson said the mix of the shed's black ceiling and Florida sunshine should dry the wood faster.

Weak cell structures make eucalyptus trees easy to knock down during hurricanes, said city forester Guntis Borenis. Although the city codes don't regulate these Australian-native trees, he said, eucalyptus trees are fairly common in St. Petersburg.

The tree's oil is used for medicinal purposes. The wood's distinct color can make great furniture, Watson said. He is planning on using the wood to make a scroll clock and a mantel.

"And they're making me a free bowl," Karalee Bidwell said. "I mean, I couldn't imagine this tree just going through an incinerator and dying. In this way, I know our tree will live on."

Before it became the monster that overtook the Bidwell's back yard, the eucalyptus provided some of the family's favorite memories since they moved into the house 28 years ago. Their 23-year-old son, Mitch, would sleep on a hammock tied to it and a Jacaranda tree he planted when he was 5.

In the tree's shade, the family would hold picnics and gatherings for Mitch and his fellow scouts before they splashed in the pool. In the back yard, among its grass and shrubs, Karalee Bidwell would relax and eat oranges that fell to the ground.

Now, roots vine around the back yard like spider legs, leaving a rubble-filled hole in the ground.

Still, they take the loss of the tree in stride.

"We got to spend Christmas together as a family and no one was injured," Karalee Bidwell said. She had evacuated the house and stayed in a hotel in Clearwater the Sunday night the tree fell. Her husband Mel heard the thud and saw the tree collapse, then left St. Petersburg to meet her.

"Being alive is so much more important than money," Mel Bidwell said.

Considering how many people actually lost their homes during hurricane season, he thinks his family is lucky.

"And there are the good parts, too," he said. "I don't have to cut the grass anymore."

[Last modified January 16, 2005, 00:33:22]