Oak Burl

[Gerald Lawrence]

This is a piece I picked up when I cut some limbs for a neighbor. I left this a lot thicker than I usually do but in turning there were two long bark inclusions across the tenon. I turned to finish and when it dried there was in some areas a rippled effect that live oak gets when turned this way, but much more pronounced. I left one side high and one of the club members suggested I should cut the high side down. So I carved it down and burned the edges to match the natural edge. Started to finish with Mahoney's Walnut Oil and did not like the look so added about 10 coats of thinned Tung Oil. Unfortunately I could not buff it , just too many little edges.

 

[Martin Groneng]

I like the fact that you left one side "high" as I have always taken that approach with burls, which gives a burl more character, in my opinion.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Very nice work Gerald....like the inclusions.

 

[Dean Center]

For those of us who will never turn live oak, could you comment on how it is to turn, maybe compared to red/white oak or other more familiar woods. thanks.

 

[Richard Coers]

What you turned there Gerald is known as an overgrowth. It's a bump that results from healing over a broken off branch. Those bark inclusions were from the old branch. It's technically not a burl.

 

[Bill Boehme]

For those of us who will never turn live oak, could you comment on how it is to turn, maybe compared to red/white oak or other more familiar woods. thanks.

From my very limited experience of turning some live oak from a neighborhood tree that blew down in a storm, when its fresh and green it's like turning butter. It cuts very cleanly without tearout. When it's dry, it's like turning granite, but this is one application where carbide tools are really useful.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Like Bill said it is great to turn green and can be quite difficult dry but not impossible. I did another piece too thin to return and the outside of the bowl had a basketweave look so I left it like that with a little sanding. When you get some pieces of Live Oak and remove the bark there is a swirl grain that can be very interesting. As to Red Oak I do not like it : too porous, tends to splinter easily and just not worth the trouble to me but it can be turned with some work.
Richard Thanks for the info, I did notice the backside was like a regular limb.