• Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details)
  • Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Paul May for "Checkerboard (ver 3.0)" being selected as Turning of the Week for March 25, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Burl orientation advise

Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
75
Likes
0
Location
Merced, California
Greetings all,

I just liberated a rather large maple (unknown species) burl from a neighbors tree. To my surprise it is not your standard "pin style" maple burl. I think it would be called an "onion" burl. It is no where near as figured as I generally expect a maple burl to be but it does have nice layers.

Having never cut up an onion burl I'm a little hesitant to start chopping it up.

Any advise?
 
Joined
May 16, 2005
Messages
3,540
Likes
15
Done some birch and some maple blisters, and inside out - pith up - displays the multitude of angles best. Outside up shows shimmer best. I'd marinade a soft maple to brown it up. Can't with hard, but the contrast of changing grain directions looks more dramatic when the wood is darker.
 
Joined
May 29, 2004
Messages
995
Likes
2
Location
billerica, ma
If you're feeling adventurous, onion burls like that actually carve very nicely. It's an alternative to turning and will likely give you an irregular bowl but, by following the grain layer from pith out, you can get a very cool almost melted look to a carved bowl. Very organic vs. regular.

dk
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
192
Likes
0
Done some birch and some maple blisters, and inside out - pith up - displays the multitude of angles best. Outside up shows shimmer best. I'd marinade a soft maple to brown it up. Can't with hard, but the contrast of changing grain directions looks more dramatic when the wood is darker.


MM, can you give a little information about this process? Thanks!

I just did a small maple burl bowl with natural edge. Athough I am very pleased with it, I think I would like to "brown up" the next one I do.
 
Joined
May 16, 2005
Messages
3,540
Likes
15
It's got to be cut with the sap up for best results, but then you age it near the bottom of the stack, where it develops a wine odor and the sapwood assumes the same color as the heart, only without the little cracks that happen there. Imagine it's fermentation waste that does the job, though not sure why. Looks lovely.

Here's a firewood chunk for example. Think there may be a couple of other pieces up in the gallery. Straight, and with BLO.
 

Attachments

  • Bit-Large-For-The-Stove.jpg
    Bit-Large-For-The-Stove.jpg
    29 KB · Views: 206
  • Linseed.jpg
    Linseed.jpg
    38.1 KB · Views: 208
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
2,051
Likes
352
Location
Martinsville, VA
that looks to be quilted or tigre striped, i did not know that was a burl :confused:
 
Joined
May 16, 2005
Messages
3,540
Likes
15
That's right. Didn't have a picture of a burl at hand. Next time I'll try to do better. :)
 
Back
Top