Burl harvesting

[Jeff Eckrich]

This may be a dumb question, but here goes.
I have a maple burl still on the trunk.
I have never harvested a burl and was wondering how much of the trunk
I should harvest with the burl?
The moisture is 6%.
Thanks,
Jeff Eckrich

 

[nicktodd]

I am going to assume the tree has already been cut down (6% Moisture content). I would cut the biggest piece possible and then cut it into blanks on the bandsaw when you can see the grain.

If the tree is still living, cut the burl at the level of the trunk. If it is above ground, seal the wound with end grain sealer. If it is below the ground level, cover the wound with dirt. In both case the burl will most likely re-grow.

 

[Richard Coers]

How did you measure 6%? It requires a kiln to drop wood to that moisture level. Cut lumber will only air dry to around 12%, and that is after sitting for at least a year with air circulating around it. If it is on a living tree, let it alone. Anytime you cut and leave an open wound, pests and disease will get into the wound and stress/possibly kill the tree. On a log of a dead tree, cut a full section through the log. On most maple, the burl will have figure to the center of the tree.

 

[Gretch Flo]

cutting burl

How did you measure 6%? It requires a kiln to drop wood to that moisture level. Cut lumber will only air dry to around 12%, and that is after sitting for at least a year with air circulating around it. If it is on a living tree, let it alone. Anytime you cut and leave an open wound, pests and disease will get into the wound and stress/possibly kill the tree. On a log of a dead tree, cut a full section through the log. On most maple, the burl will have figure to the center of the tree.

Can't you lop off a burl just like you would a branch and have the tree still live? Assuming it is relatively small (12-14". ). Of course you are not going inward below the outside surface of the tree. Now if by mistake it is just a healed over branch and discover a rotten hole inward, then it may hurt the tree. Gretch

 

[Richard Coers]

You can lop them off, and maybe the tree will be okay, maybe not. It's just like loping something off of us. Maybe you heal just fine, maybe you get a flesh eating staph infection. Depends on current health of you or the tree.

 

[Jeff Eckrich]

Harvesting burls

I should have been more accurate in my initial post.
The % of moisture is about 14% the tree was cut down at least 2 years ago.
The stump I have is 30" high and 24 "diameter.
Jeff

 

[Bill Boehme]

Can't you lop off a burl just like you would a branch and have the tree still live?.....

Gretch, it depends on the species and locale. A lot of trees are subject to infestations of various pests that can kill the tree within months to years if limbs are lopped off improperly and/or at the wrong time of the year. For instance one of the most plentiful trees in this part of Texas is the very hardy Post Oak that can withstand a lot of things, but there are numerous pest problems especially in populated areas that enter through wounds created by ill-informed "pruning". For many species including oaks, there is a right way and a wrong way to prune them. The local power company specializes in the wrong way. When we see their handiwork, we say that the tree has been "Oncor'ed".

 

[Gretch Flo]

power companies

Gretch, it depends on the species and locale. A lot of trees are subject to infestations of various pests that can kill the tree within months to years if limbs are lopped off improperly and/or at the wrong time of the year. For instance one of the most plentiful trees in this part of Texas is the very hardy Post Oak that can withstand a lot of things, but there are numerous pest problems especially in populated areas that enter through wounds created by ill-informed "pruning". For many species including oaks, there is a right way and a wrong way to prune them. The local power company specializes in the wrong way. When we see their handiwork, we say that the tree has been "Oncor'ed".

Seems to be a national trend. My neighbors red pines were topped. Ugly!!!!A power comp worker talked to me at a craft show, said it probably was within ?15? feet of the lines, and he was right. Said some species are outliving their life anyway, but with large trees they have the subletting (power company doesn't have their own crews) trimmers do a better job. "we don't like to cut the trees". Maybe they should send their trimmers to Landscaping 101, Gretch

 

[MichaelMouse]

Seems to be a national trend. My neighbors red pines were topped. Ugly!!!!A power comp worker talked to me at a craft show, said it probably was within ?15? feet of the lines, and he was right. Said some species are outliving their life anyway, but with large trees they have the subletting (power company doesn't have their own crews) trimmers do a better job. "we don't like to cut the trees". Maybe they should send their trimmers to Landscaping 101, Gretch

It would be a bit easier to do a better cosmetic job, I assume, if there weren't an absolute deluge of lawsuits after Irene out east. Given the price of insurance, paying brushing and trimming crews seems cheaper at the moment.

REAs are the worst of the slackers, but have the most lines vulnerable. Yesterday's storm dropped power five times at my house, none long. Tree touches, not falls.

 

[Bill Boehme]

And, of course, new homeowners without a lot of foresight will plant a row of trees from the nursery about ten feet apart directly beneath a power line and if there also happens to be a sidewalk there, the trees will be almost touching it.

I recently saw some "interesting" topiary being created by the crews as all the trees along the street in one neighborhood were now sporting a distinctive "U" down the middle. It looked like a row of giant slingshots.

I wonder if this has the potential to eventually become a recognized art form in the horticulture world. 😱

 

[Gretch Flo]

And, of course, new homeowners without a lot of foresight will plant a row of trees from the nursery about ten feet apart directly beneath a power line and if there also happens to be a sidewalk there, the trees will be almost touching it.

I recently saw some "interesting" topiary being created by the crews as all the trees along the street in one neighborhood were now sporting a distinctive "U" down the middle. It looked like a row of giant slingshots.

I wonder if this has the potential to eventually become a recognized art form in the horticulture world. 😱

That is the art work across the street= "U"'s and I don't mean yews. Gretch