It's a big ole burl...

Paschale · July 23, 2005, 11:44:03 PM

So I visited my dad's land in the U.P., and I remembered seeing this burl. It was from a leaner, and I asked my dad's cousin, who has permission to take deadfall from our land for firewood, to save the burl. It's pretty big. That water bottle in the picture is a liter size bottle, and is about a foot tall. The trunk looks like this all the way around. I'm not much of a turner, but I would think that this would make some pretty amazing bowls. 8) Problem is that the top has already really started to check. I want to bring this back home. How do I do it and save it? I was think of cutting it into foot wide cross sections. Any thoughts?

Gilman · July 24, 2005, 11:29:52 AM

Paschale,
Can't wait to see what it looks like inside.

I'd get some log sealer from Bailey's ordered first. They have a good price and very reasonable shipping cost. Most likely you want to cut it into thick slabs, you can always resaw it thinner later if you need to. I'd also pressure wash the bark off before you slab it. Once slabbed, set one piece aside and then seal all of the other slab surfaces with the log sealer.

Take that first slab and start turning! 8)

Paschale · July 25, 2005, 10:53:55 AM

Thanks for the reply, Gilman. I guess the reason I was asking the question was to find out if end sealer is sufficient to prevent checking on burls. I've read someplace, either in a magazine, or online about the need for more intensive protection with burls. I can't remember why this was, or perhaps this was talking about turning green blanks. All I remember is that there was a specific chemical compound that was brushed onto the blanks, separate from end sealer--anyone know what I'm talking about, and secondly, do I need anything more than end sealer anyway?

Thanks!

Den Socling · July 25, 2005, 11:26:34 AM

Like Gilman said, don't seal only the ends. Seal all surfaces with a wax emulsion type sealer.

Jason_WI · July 27, 2005, 12:29:33 AM

I think you are refering to PEG 1000. It displaces the water in the wood fiber. Snake oil......

Jason

beenthere · July 27, 2005, 12:36:06 AM

Jason
Not snake oil, but certainly not something that is easy to do, or very economical, and most woods will not allow the chemical (polyethylene glycol, molecular weight 1000) to penetrate deep enough to have an effect on the total piece of wood. Also requires that the wood cells be above fsp (fiber staturation point) to have water in the cell wall to replace. If any cells are below fsp (like if some surface drying has taken effect), then the PEG won't get to where it needs to go. It's a long process. I have a bit of wood in my house that is PEG treated.

But, I don't recommend it.

Den Socling · July 27, 2005, 07:32:42 AM

PEG 1000 will work with green wood if you let it soak long enough but the wax emulsion that I mentioned was Anchorseal or whatever is similar. It slows drying but doesn't totally stop drying.