The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: bill m on January 06, 2013, 08:45:38 PM

Title: Pricing burls
Post by: bill m on January 06, 2013, 08:45:38 PM
I have an Ash burl from a tree that I cut down last Friday and I have someone who is interested in buying it. It was located at a crotch in the tree so there could be some nice figure in it. It is about 4 feet long and almost 3 feet in diameter and appears to be solid. How do I put a value on it?
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: beenthere on January 06, 2013, 08:52:27 PM
Bill
Do you have a picture?
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: bill m on January 06, 2013, 09:02:41 PM
No, not yet. I will try to get one tomorrow.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: qbilder on January 07, 2013, 11:41:58 AM
All burls are not equal. You have burls that are nothing but a bulging growth on the side of a tree, and the wood inside has little if any character. Then you have burls on the tree or on the roots that have hundreds of tiny sprouts, which make swirly eye figure in the wood. The type with lots of eyes & swirls is what folks are after. Depending on what you have will determine what it's worth. I paid $500 for a 300lb. birch burl once and got lucky that it had some curly figure and good coloring. Otherwise i'd have lost $500 because there wasn't a birdseye or swirl anywhere in that burl. Many times I have cut into a burl to find that it is boring, non-character wood. Now I won't even cut one, let alone buy one, that doesn't display either a bunch of visible swirls in the bark or lots of tiny sapling sprouts that look like it's growing hair.   
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Peter Drouin on January 08, 2013, 06:20:56 PM
I have some burls , this one is big for cheery


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22511/DSCN2403%7E0.JPG) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22511/DSCN2404%7E0.JPG)
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: bill m on January 08, 2013, 09:17:54 PM
Here are a few pictures of the burl. It is 17" on the small end, 20" on the big end and about 58 inches long.

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20547/DSC00054_28329.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20547/DSC00055_28329.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20547/DSC00056_28329.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20547/DSC00057_28329.jpg)
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Dodgy Loner on January 09, 2013, 12:18:18 PM
I wouldn't really call that a burl. More like a canker. Maybe some interesting grain in there, but not like burl wood.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Jeff on January 09, 2013, 01:32:48 PM
Yea bill m, I'd have a hard time really calling that a burl as well.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: bill m on January 09, 2013, 06:07:50 PM
I agree, it really isn't a burl. When the tree was standing it looked like one. Then I dropped the tree and it disappeared into the snow and I didn't do anything with it. When I went back in yesterday to get the logs and take pictures I looked closer at it and realized it was not a burl. :embarassed: :( If I had a mill I think I would saw it anyway.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Peter Drouin on January 09, 2013, 06:31:46 PM
Jeff how would you cut my burl in the pic, and if anyone has an idea speak up :D :D
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: shelbycharger400 on January 09, 2013, 07:15:33 PM
sawin peter's burl is a definate good question.
Length wise would be best bet, althou cross cut would be neat too.

Id sandwitch it between a few 2x10's , making a box. and put in some threaded inserts (tee nuts) so you could put in some bolts to tension it so you could cut it on the mill

the box could be a sacrifice, but you should figure that into the sale of the slabs.   
threading a bolt back into the inserts, you can light rap on them and pop them out.

3/8   50 for 15 bux... at mcmaster  isn't too bad of a price.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Dave Shepard on January 09, 2013, 08:31:56 PM
I'll saw it for you just to see what's in it. :) What are you doing this weekend? :D
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: bill m on January 09, 2013, 09:16:13 PM
Dave, I can bring it over either day. It's supposed to be a little warmer this weekend.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Dave Shepard on January 09, 2013, 09:19:58 PM
Saturday is probably better. I think there's a chance for rain on Sunday. Let me know when is good for you, I have to be at the farm to work up some firewood anyway.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: bill m on January 09, 2013, 09:31:31 PM
Does 10:00 work?
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: lowpolyjoe on January 09, 2013, 09:33:30 PM
Hope you guys can post a few pics of whatever you find. 
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: SwampDonkey on January 10, 2013, 06:53:37 AM
Nice cherry burl.  :)
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Reddog on January 10, 2013, 04:47:15 PM
QuoteA burl (American English) or bur or burr (used in all non-US English speaking countries) is a tree growth in which the grain has grown in a deformed manner.

.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Jeff on January 10, 2013, 04:51:20 PM
A burl is definitely abnormal tree growth, but every abnormal tree growth is not a burl.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Jeff on January 10, 2013, 05:09:43 PM
Quote from: Peter Drouin on January 09, 2013, 06:31:46 PM
Jeff how would you cut my burl in the pic, and if anyone has an idea speak up :D :D

I'd go get burlkraft and have him tell me how to cut it. I've never sawn a burl in my life.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: beenthere on January 10, 2013, 06:11:48 PM
And sometimes he's "not so sure"   ;D ;D ;D


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10180/Burlkraft_sweatin_ff.jpg)

Here he is considering a log from Stumpy. 
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Woodkiller on January 10, 2013, 06:16:42 PM
I just want to know.....what is all that WHITE stuff on the ground? :-)
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Peter Drouin on January 10, 2013, 06:44:31 PM
Thats the fun stuff to play with, and its good to kool the blades on the mill too :D :D :D
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Dave Shepard on January 10, 2013, 07:08:24 PM
Bill, 10:00 is fine. I'll PM the top secret mill location.  :D
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: thecfarm on January 10, 2013, 10:54:39 PM
White stuff also keeps the population down. keeps away some of the bad people too.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Dave Shepard on January 12, 2013, 09:44:51 PM
Bill has pics, hopefully of the ash and not me, or his camera might be broken. :D I've a few in my phone, but it needs to be recharged. I'll leave you all in suspense.  :)
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: bill m on January 13, 2013, 07:50:17 PM
Well in the very capable hands of FF member Dave Shepard we were able to saw this up on Sat. morning.
This is what was inside.

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20547/DSC00062_28229.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20547/DSC00060_28229.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20547/DSC00063_28229.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20547/DSC00064_28229.jpg)
Now I just need to get my BIL to make something out of it.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: thecfarm on January 13, 2013, 09:58:34 PM
Not bad looking at all.
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: lowpolyjoe on January 14, 2013, 10:20:08 PM
That's pretty nice looking.  Do you have plans for the boards yet?
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: bill m on January 15, 2013, 08:29:52 AM
No, no plans. I really don't do any woodworking other than what I can do with a chainsaw. ;D
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: lowpolyjoe on January 15, 2013, 10:52:36 AM
Quote from: bill m on January 15, 2013, 08:29:52 AM
No, no plans. I really don't do any woodworking other than what I can do with a chainsaw. ;D

Hard to argue with that - a router and a table saw are fun, but not as much fun as a chainsaw  :)
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: SwampDonkey on April 07, 2013, 04:25:16 PM
I thought of this thread, especially Pete's cherry burl when I was browsing a thread on another forum. The burls I saw in thread were from New Brunswick cherries. I think that the guy cut a lot of them and they all headed out of province I believe as many were from Toronto area. Many forum members made purchases. It didn't seem like any of the buyers were burl experts from their own admission. But the burl of a sample was shown and it looked like nice burl.

I was wondering if Pete sliced up his cherry burl yet. ;D

If not, what'cha waiting for? are ya skeered. ;D :D
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: Peter Drouin on April 07, 2013, 08:14:14 PM
Not yet ;D
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: drobertson on April 07, 2013, 08:42:24 PM
all that I have gathered in cutting burl consist of taking out the center, then making square blocks as big as the stock will allow,   david
Title: Re: Pricing burls
Post by: SwampDonkey on April 08, 2013, 04:54:21 AM
Do you coat them with wax or something to dry slow? I need to make me a small end table with burl top and drawer faces. Maybe even some birdseye for the frame or edging.

All dreamy eyed here, it's early in the morning. :D