I have several (3) wild cherry burls growing on my property. I would like to cut them and turn them but I am unsure how to cut out blanks with the chain saw. I know how to cut normal logs, is it the same for the burls? I would appreciate some guidance.
-
Congratulations to 2024 AAW Member Exhibition Common Roots forum member finalists (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Ethan Hoff for "Globe Ornament" being selected as Turning of the Week for October 21, 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.
wild cherry burl
- Thread starter Jason Ledbetter
- Start date
Bill Grumbine
In Memorium
Hi Jason
Ther are a couple of ways to approach this, and they are dependent on the shape of the burl and the soundness of the surrounding wood. Is the burl wrapped around the log, or is it off to one side? If it is wrapped around the log, then I would suggest cutting the branch with some sticking out on either side. That will leave you some working wood around the burl and you can make a burl bowl with wings. Or, if it is off to one side, you can slice it off the log and make a more traditionally shaped natural edge or finished edge bowl.
If you go to my personal website, http://www.enter.net/~ultradad, you can see some finished bowls in burl, some even from cherry. If you click on Gallery 8 you will see some of my latest burl work (that I have posted anyway). I have other pictures which have not yet made it to my website, and if you are interested, I will post them for you here.
Bill
Ther are a couple of ways to approach this, and they are dependent on the shape of the burl and the soundness of the surrounding wood. Is the burl wrapped around the log, or is it off to one side? If it is wrapped around the log, then I would suggest cutting the branch with some sticking out on either side. That will leave you some working wood around the burl and you can make a burl bowl with wings. Or, if it is off to one side, you can slice it off the log and make a more traditionally shaped natural edge or finished edge bowl.
If you go to my personal website, http://www.enter.net/~ultradad, you can see some finished bowls in burl, some even from cherry. If you click on Gallery 8 you will see some of my latest burl work (that I have posted anyway). I have other pictures which have not yet made it to my website, and if you are interested, I will post them for you here.
Bill
Congratulations on your good fortune, Jason.
Two things. First, the burl will not tend to split the same way clear wood will. As Bill said, if the trunk grows straight through the middle, you can expect it to develop checks, but not the actual burl. If you cut with some branch/trunk to either side, it should store nicely. Past that, cut it any way you want to get the size and shape you plan to use. Just remember that the grain will tend to flow outward so quartersawn cuts will give you flames and cross cuts will give you swirls.
Second, remember that they'll continue to grow as long as they're on the tree. Think about whether you want to cut them now or later and, if later, consider them an investment that collects interest. Got one of those on my property as we speak. Currently the size of my head (actual head, not inflated ego one) and shooting for basketball +.
Good luck,
Dietrich
Two things. First, the burl will not tend to split the same way clear wood will. As Bill said, if the trunk grows straight through the middle, you can expect it to develop checks, but not the actual burl. If you cut with some branch/trunk to either side, it should store nicely. Past that, cut it any way you want to get the size and shape you plan to use. Just remember that the grain will tend to flow outward so quartersawn cuts will give you flames and cross cuts will give you swirls.
Second, remember that they'll continue to grow as long as they're on the tree. Think about whether you want to cut them now or later and, if later, consider them an investment that collects interest. Got one of those on my property as we speak. Currently the size of my head (actual head, not inflated ego one) and shooting for basketball +.
Good luck,
Dietrich
- Joined
- May 16, 2005
- Messages
- 3,540
- Likes
- 19
Jason Ledbetter said:
Good advice to leave the stub ends on a round-and-round, though you would be better off, in my experience to slab off a blister type. Reason for this is drying, where bark pockets and other insecure areas can sometimes allow partially unsecured portions to take some odd directions if you cut green and dry down. If it dries while being held by the larger burl, the deviations tend to be less dramatic.
I also find it better to cut in the winter, or spring before the sap's up if you want to try and retain the bark. While there's fresh food, in the form of an active cambium, the bacteria can get busy pretty fast.
Last piece of advice is to turn off the radio, take off your ear defenders and listen as you cut, especially with drier burls. At the first "click," stop and examine the area you were cutting thoroughly. Find the crack that clicked, and glue it immediately and often to keep the whole from becoming a fragmentation device. With cherry, I find it best to spritz the surface with the accelerator and apply water-thin CA which wicks into the crack and then skins over. Without the accelerator, you can get some throw if you don't wait a long time for the CA to cure in an acid wood like chery.
Really good advice on the listening and stabilizing, Mike. This might even be one of the rare times to use Pentacrys or Minwax Wood hardener if they do come apart that way. I haven't had the opportunity to turn cherry burl that much but I know they are absolutely full of pitch and bark inclusions.
Dietrich
Dietrich