Cutting a Burl

[Darryl Fective]

I have this monster burl in my barn (still on my trailer) and I'm wondering the best way to go about cutting it. Is it best to cut up the whole thing at once and seal blanks, or cut off pieces as I use it? I have not dealt with many, and never one this large. I'm not quite there yet, but I don't want to wait too long or do something stupid that wastes it.

 

[robo hippy]

Well, I would start with that one beachball sized one that is looking straight at us. Plunge cuts at an angle in since they tend to be cone shaped. After that, kind of hard to say. I might just cut it down the center after removing that one burl cap, and see what it looks like, then section it up.

robo hippy

 

[Richard Coers]

There is NO BEST WAY. As soon as you cut it all up, you are fully committed to those sizes. For the past week I have been pulling rough sawn blanks out of a shed, and it breaks my heart to see how many have powder post beetle holes in them. If I had only heard of borax based preventative insecticide 15 years ago!!!! But I'll still have enough for one hell of an estate sale. So get after it, or cover it with a plastic tarp to slow bugs and cracking. "In a barn" or "in a shed" sends shivers down my back.

 

[Darryl Fective]

"In a barn" or "in a shed" sends shivers down my back.

I could pull the trailer out into the weather if that makes you feel better.

 

[Doug Freeman]

Big part of the decision depends on what size you want to turn - 6”? 10”? 20”? Bigger?

 

[hughie]

Big part of the decision depends on what size you want to turn - 6”? 10”? 20”? Bigger?

Yup sit down and think about what you want to make and take as long as it needs, no rush. Seal it yes, but as you have it now it last a fair while as is. Then as you cut it up seal all over but remember the burl will retain moisture far longer than regular wood. I have turned burls off dead trees that were damp in the centre, so dont get too hung up on fully drying the burl. I rarely seal my burls , usually have them face down on the cut face with the bark on.
But if you're desperate to turn some of it then cut the cap off and turn that, it will get you into the burl and help with the best way to cut it, and you will know what you have to boot. Plus a natural edge shallow burl bowl always looks darn impressive, with or without feet.

 

[Jim McLain]

I have this monster burl in my barn (still on my trailer) and I'm wondering the best way to go about cutting it. Is it best to cut up the whole thing at once and seal blanks, or cut off pieces as I use it? I have not dealt with many, and never one this large. I'm not quite there yet, but I don't want to wait too long or do something stupid that wastes it.

All kinds of ways to cut burl but I really love the trailer on a Prius. Never thought of pulling my trailer with ours.

 

[Bill Blasic]

Burls are like the proverbial box of chocolates you never no what you're going to find inside them. I had a guy want to sell me an Ash burl (wanted $250). It was an awfully nice looking burl but I passed. I told him if he didn't sell it I'd like to be there when he cut it open (I wasn't there) but the results were weird. It was like the tree turned right made a circle then grew straight (not what it did) because the inside of the burl was straight grained like running in a circle. Not an eye, not an onion burl, nothing just straight grain. My first cut on a full circle burl is straight down the middle of the thickest diameter, gives me some idea how deep the burl runs. Hopefully I'll get a couple slabs and two good bowl blanks.

 

[Darryl Fective]

Wow, lots of good answers and food for thought. I'll have to pick a few big pieces from the "prime cuts" then a blanks of varying sizes/shapes with the rest. I'm sure some cracks/checks are inevitable, but maybe the random grain makes them a little less critical.

I was showing to a club member that came by my shop the other day and it really hit me the difference in the sizes of the trunk above and below it.

Well, I would start with that one beachball sized one that is looking straight at us. Plunge cuts at an angle in since they tend to be cone shaped. After that, kind of hard to say. I might just cut it down the center after removing that one burl cap, and see what it looks like, then section it up.

robo hippy

I get what you're saying, and I'm confident in my chainsaw skills, but plunge cuts are tough. I'm picturing cuts that don't meet up well a hacked up mess. Maybe I should pick a depth, cut straight across sort of pare off sides of it. (I'm guessing both safer and less wasteful)

All kinds of ways to cut burl but I really love the trailer on a Prius. Never thought of pulling my trailer with ours.

It's a lot lower than my truck bed. (for walk-behind mower, motorcycle, and now burls/wood) It started with a hitch for a bike rack and progressed quickly. Gasoline is about a dollar less than diesel and I get more than twice as many miles. Yea, some say a Prius pulling a light trailer looks crazy. (I say crazy like a fox )

Burls are like the proverbial box of chocolates you never no what you're going to find inside them. I had a guy want to sell me an Ash burl (wanted $250). It was an awfully nice looking burl but I passed. I told him if he didn't sell it I'd like to be there when he cut it open (I wasn't there) but the results were weird. It was like the tree turned right made a circle then grew straight (not what it did) because the inside of the burl was straight grained like running in a circle. Not an eye, not an onion burl, nothing just straight grain. My first cut on a full circle burl is straight down the middle of the thickest diameter, gives me some idea how deep the burl runs. Hopefully I'll get a couple slabs and two good bowl blanks.

Yea, many of the burls I've seen (not that many) are more lumpy. This seems to have some very smooth areas. It will be interesting to see what's inside.

I cut into a much smaller one (that I could at least roll out into the snow and cut) This one may require my loader to lift off.