[Cob] What to use for Wattle?

[Amanda Peck]

You don't think inch+ diameter Kudzu would work for the stuff you thread 
crosswise?  I think I'd prefer to harvest it in the winter, but it might now 
be as pliable as in the summer.  Kudzu makes a bank look like there's no 
erosion, but look before you step.  Also less chance of importing kudzu 
seeds that way.

I'd still vote for privet in my woods.  Honeysuckle and swamp rose probably 
wouldn't work well, although honeysuckle is fine for baskets, sometimes you 
can get the inch in diameter stuff with that too.

Either Lee Valley or Garrett Wade have the straight (froe-type) splitters, 
one of which is Japanese and intended for bamboo and it can be used with a 
metal hammer.  But I can't find them right now.  Both companies have 
miserable on-line indexes.  If it's Lee Valley, it's likely to be a bit less 
expensive, but the pictures are lovely in Garrett Wade--photos are indeed 
tools as art.

A search on bamboo tools got me lots of bamboo spatulas and this--don't know 
anything about these guys--scroll down a bit:
http://www.bamboodirect.com/bamboo/price/products.html

................
Ed Answers Pack:


KUDZU vines for wattle.
......
Kudzu is great if you are making something small like a basket of a
birdhouse, but for a real house try willow or bamboo. Bamboo worked great 
for me the
only catch if finding the bamboo splitters. I have pictures of splitters and
wattle if anyone is interested.
Ed

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