Burl questions.

[firebrick43]

So I was given this 46" white oak. I am going to quarter saw the bottom 6' as it's straight, the top of the trunk is mostly cut and split and will be finished tomarrow. What do I do with this burl? How to cut? Is it worth anything if it mills out nice. It's approximately 38" across in the longest dimension, may have a softball hollow on the bottom side. Maybe 20" thick.

 

[Dave Boyt]

Wood turners would be a good market for it. Hopefully someone will give you a good idea how to cut it.

 

[4x4American]

Over on the forestry forum some feller just posted a thread on milling burls. He just went real slow and it came out real nice looking. What are you sawing it with?

 

[firebrick43]

Well I just have a 660 with a timberjig that I use for small oddball projects but there is an old codger a few miles up the road with a band mill. He is really good if you want standard lumber but even quarter sawing threw him for a loop so I am guessing if I want something done here, I am going to have to relay instructions to him.

 

[djones]

Had a neighbor here a while back that looked for burls to turn on his lathe. He made some real nice bowls from them.

 

[PheasantHunter]

Turners are big into burl, not just bowls. The big ones often end up as bowls (and turners want them green most of the time). The call turners take the next size and pen turners take the leftovers. In other words don't throw any away (look on ebay for what any sells for).

 

[groundup]

I sell a lot of burls and have more luck selling them whole. If a guy wants to turn it into an end table he can, if he wants bowl blanks he can etc.
The problem is if you mill it the buyer may not be able to use it for his desired purpose. Also burl lumber does not dry well, it tends to get a little wild so I let the buyer figure that out

 

[groundup]

That's a sweet burl by the way

 

[CWME]

Thats a big one right there. I gave up trying to make a bowl out of a big burl. I had more than one break apart on the lathe. I like to cut mine down into smaller chunks for smaller bowls. Lots of figure anyway, small bowl + lots of figure =no one cares how small it is.

 

[4x4American]

If you are planning on selling it, I'd say just leave it as it is and let the buyer do what he wants with it. If it's for personal use and your heart is set on sawing it, I'd let the old 660 take a bite out of it see how she does. Who knows might even saw it straighter than a BSM would.

 

[SDB777]

Nine days gone.....it should be cut by now? What does it look like?



Scott (better then a hot dog with no mustard) B