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What is burl?

Started by monte, December 31, 2005, 08:07:02 PM

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monte

hi guys!

First of all Happy New Year to all

My questions are what is burl, what species is found on?how do you cut it? and finally what is it used for? ::)
Thanks

Tom

Monte,
In a nutshell, a burl is a ball of convoluted grain that grows on roots, stems or limbs of most any tree and is caused by buds going awry or insect stings or wounds or many often unknown reasons.  Some burls are solid and some are not.  There are terms you will hear that describe the solidity like Onion, which describes one that is will fall apart. 

Solid burls are used for turning stock, especially bowls, pipes, gun stocks, knife handles, musical instruments, veneer, picture frames and many other ornamental uses.  Their dollar value is generally high and compared to construction lumber, off the scale.

monte

neat!! :o

And are they more common in certain species more then others

does anybody have a pic of what it looks like? ::)

Bibbyman

Just go to the Forum Image archive and do a serch on burl.  You'll come up with two pages of thumbnails.  There are picures of burls inside and out.  If you find one you'd like to know more on,  from the picture you can search out the post where it was placed.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Burlkraft

Monte,

Let me set ya straight.........Burl is bad >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(It's hard to work with and it dries funny and you just shouldn't mess around with it :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\

If you EVER come across any burl........Box it up and send it to me smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup

I'll dispose of it properly....and save you all the agony ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

No really now..............

Burl is caused by many things. It usually forms around some type injury to the tree. I have actually farmed burls before. I had a few acres of some young black cherry and I would shoot them with a 22 rifle and a burl would grow in the area of the wound. I found this out once turning a chunk of cherry burl and I found a 30-06 slug in the center. It must have been shot during the deer season. It couldn't have been me ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)  Cuz I usually never miss ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D I found a #2 coon trap in a burl once. Somebody must have forgotten they put it there. That couldn't have been me neither cuz I don't ever forget anything ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

What wuz we talkin' about now ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???

Oh yeah...SEND ME YOUR BURLS 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)


If ya ever find out what exactly causes bird's eye....Be sure to give me a call smiley_clapping smiley_clapping smiley_clapping smiley_clapping smiley_clapping smiley_clapping smiley_clapping

Happy New Year 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Why not just 1 pain free day?

Tom

Described as a cancer/tumor on a tree, Burls are not specific to any tree but their value will depend on the species that created it.   I've found few pictures of burls on trees on the web just now, but you can search with Google and I'm sure you will find a lot of sites that will have photographs.  

This one is of a huge redwood burl.

http://www.redwoodburl.com/

isawlogs

Here is a pic of some yellow birch burl cut up , made a incent burner for my daughter .


A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

SwampDonkey

Burl is fairly common on yellow birch. There is a turner up near Andover that uses alot of yellow birch burl. I found one on a crown license once and later when the foreman for the license was thinning out the block, he cut it for his uncle and a friend of his . It was a huge burl on an old growth tree, had to be skidded by machine to a trailor at roadside. I don't know how the guy handled it when he got home.

Gordon gets a fortune for his turnings, some up to $4000 USD each.  :o
Some of Gordon's Turnings

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

monte

OK
If a person has burl would it be more rewarding financially to cut it myself or sell it whole! ::)

beenthere

If you cut your burl, then you are taking that chance of there being something remarkable inside, or something that is not. If it's remarkable, then you have more value in what you might sell. If not remarkable, it is firewood possibly. A risk that you need to decide on, and how much a gambler you want to be.  :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

monte

Quote from: beenthere on December 31, 2005, 09:20:30 PM
If you cut your burl, then you are taking that chance of there being something remarkable inside, or something that is not. If it's remarkable, then you have more value in what you might sell. If not remarkable, it is firewood possibly. A risk that you need to decide on, and how much a gambler you want to be.  :)

Makes sense! ;)

If it is nice inside what dimensions do you recommend I cut? ???

Frank_Pender

I kind of know some things about the stuff.  I have around 3,000 lbs of Western bifg Leaf Maple burl setting about the place. :'(
Frank Pender

Tom

That's the $20,000 Question.   You have to know what your customer wants or you can't sell it.

That's why most sawyers without specialty markets are reluctant to saw logs, burls or crotches until a customer says what they want.

beenthere

Monte
Tom is right (he always is  :) )
Can you post a picture with a description of what you have?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

SwampDonkey

Quote from: Frank_Pender on December 31, 2005, 09:25:56 PM
I kind of know some things about the stuff.  I have around 3,000 lbs of Western bifg Leaf Maple burl setting about the place. :'(

I see in Gordon's gallery he has turned a few big leaf maple.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

monte

Quote from: beenthere on December 31, 2005, 09:29:36 PM
Monte
Tom is right (he always is  :) )
Can you post a picture with a description of what you have?


I didn't take a picture of it yet, its on my 80 acre lot, its about seven feet up a pine tree and about 3 feet in diameter, nothing big.

SwampDonkey

I see it sometimes on red spruce also. There's probably lots of pitch in those.  :-\
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

monte

Quote from: SwampDonkey on December 31, 2005, 09:37:53 PM
I see it sometimes on red spruce also. There's probably lots of pitch in those.  :-\

What do you mean by pitch ???

monte

I am curious about one more thing!
Does burl check or crack when it dries? :P

SwampDonkey

pitch is pitch is pitch  ;D Pitch pockets: pine, fir, spruce, and hemlock have pitch canals in the wood. If there was damage to the tree then pitch gets oozed and the wood slowing compartmentalizes to seal the wound as the tree grows, sometimes making a burl. ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

monte

I can't believe the wealth of knowledge you guys have  :-*
Thank you very much ;D

SwampDonkey

Well...I am writing a book.  :D ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

monte

Quote from: SwampDonkey on December 31, 2005, 09:54:17 PM
Well...I am writing a book.  :D ;D

good luck with your book 8)

maple flats

I saved a small burl today in a cherry log. Will try to cut it in a few weeks but this log was standing dead with about a inch average punky oll up and down except the burl looks solid. I don't expect too much though, just wanted to try it instead of making firewood with it. The rest wasn't good enough to saw up for lumber so it is firewood.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

monte

Hope you could get a pic to show us! ;D

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