Walnut Burl progress

doc henderson · September 10, 2023, 08:08:30 AM

This story started a few years back when I visited a friend and there was a walnut tree with a burl by his driveway. turns out he shares what used to be a road as a drive with this neighbor, and it belonged to his neighbor Jeff. Jeff wants to get into woodworking. I went slow cause I did not want this to be perceived as an attempt to get a "million-dollar" log for nothing. Between schedules and life, we finally got it down.

We milled up what we could with my mill. I remembered My friend had been working on widening a mill and he said he could do up to 48 inches wide. We went there yesterday and made a few slabs from this log.

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It was mostly solid with some bark inclusion. As we got near the bottom, we got into the void, so brought home the bottom and it split into two halves I can do on my mill. Sean who has the wide mill used carbide tipped bands and I did not want to dull his. He declined an offer of wood, so Jeff and I gave him a tip. We are friends and have traded favors back and forth in the past, so none was expected. It was a good day after all the work and wait!

Magicman · September 10, 2023, 08:18:21 AM

Wonderful !!!

Nebraska · September 10, 2023, 09:43:43 AM

Wow, that looks great!

Resonator · September 10, 2023, 11:39:32 AM

Big burl!

That's a lot of blade width in gnarly wood, looks like it cut fairly flat. (I see he has an electric motor powering the mill). Wonder how well that burl wood will hold together as it dries.

Walnut Beast · September 10, 2023, 01:59:22 PM

Awesome Doc!

doc henderson · September 10, 2023, 02:00:31 PM

It feels really dense and solid. some bark inclusions. but also, some nice semi-linear grain that will hopefully stabilize it. time will tell. got it palletized, stickered and in the kiln/container with a dehumidifier.

Crusarius · September 10, 2023, 04:47:04 PM

I hope you come back and keep us updated with the progress on this. Those slabs look incredible.

doc henderson · September 10, 2023, 11:23:10 PM

30 hp 3 ph motor, 2-inch carbide tipped blades.

Downstream · September 11, 2023, 08:42:13 PM

Boy I see a bunch of beautiful coffee tables in that stack. I never had the chance to saw a burl when I had my mill but will enjoying seeing these pop up in finished pieces in the future.

doc henderson · September 11, 2023, 08:47:14 PM

The container was open a few hours. pulled 5 gallons of water since yesterday. fans on low.

moodnacreek · September 11, 2023, 08:57:51 PM

I am surprised there was not a lot of rot in there. If those cuts make it through drying without splitting then you will have some very special material. A 30 h.p. electric motor is equal to a 55 hp gas engine.

jpassardi · September 12, 2023, 07:04:17 AM

Very neat DOC. I assume he must haul a 3 Ph generator with the mill?
I forget - do you have a commercial intended-type dehumidifier in there or still using a residential one?

Has anyone else found that you can peel walnut bark with minimal effort?

moodnacreek · September 12, 2023, 08:01:07 AM

Most wood will peel if cut in the spring, otherwise the worst time to cut trees for lumber.

doc henderson · September 12, 2023, 09:43:01 AM

His mill is fastened to a concrete slab. he has 3-phase at his farm. the tree was cut a while back and has been sitting. some of the bark is loose and some you could lift the slab with. It will eventually come off either the easy way or the hard way. I have charcuterie blanks, and it was winter cut, and the bark remains on after drying and is a pain to get off, even with a draw knife and sander. very tight. I still have a home dehumidifier. the wood sawed like it was fairly dry, but of course with all the spectators, it got some water tossed on a few. The container is mostly to finish off air dry stuff, and to store the bulk in conditioned space. A few bundles have been moved to the shop, to make room.

jpassardi · September 12, 2023, 11:22:51 AM

That's a handy lower cost small scale finish drying setup Doc. I've been wanting to set up something similar. How long do the dehumidifiers last? Probably should be discussed in the drying side of the forum, sorry.

Moodna: my experience with hickory felled at the same time as the walnut is you'd need a D8 to pull the bark off.

doc henderson · September 12, 2023, 01:09:00 PM

It has lasted over 5 years, but it is usually air-dried wood down to 10 to 12 %. I often only run it for a day every month or so if I am only storing wood in there. I have remote humidistats and can see if the RH is getting much over 40%. trying to mimic conditioned space like my shop, without taking up all the space. got another 2.5 gallons since yesterday. so turned the DH up to 45% so it is not too dry in there. It really smells like walnut in there. part of the water. was from having the doors open for a bit as I loaded it. I have two Walmart 20-inch 20-dollar box fans in there as well.

customsawyer · September 13, 2023, 06:35:34 AM

Looks like a good day and some great lumber.

Peter Drouin · September 14, 2023, 05:37:32 AM

Good job

doc henderson · September 19, 2023, 10:27:08 PM

my humidity was climbing and no water in the outside bucket. thought I might have blown a breaker, but the lights were on the DH and the fans were running. the bucket is full light was on but that must have been a malfunction i thought cause I have a hose to the outside. well after a few years of rolling it around a bit, it had come undone but was still stuck in the hole. the humidifier bucket was full and that turns off further dehumidification. had a little white fuzzy stuff on some bark.

Stephen1 · September 20, 2023, 07:48:35 AM

Beautiful wood! Doc I have had that problem with drying the walnut to slow and or too warm in my kiln , white fungus on the walnut. I now dry it faster at 1st in the kiln, especially if its green. I like to air dry 1st as its not as warm and so the fungus doesn't grow.

doc henderson · September 20, 2023, 09:31:50 AM

Thanks Stephen. I was going slow with fans on low. the full tank after the hose came off, shut down the dehumidifier. I had worked 5 night and the humidity was coming up. I thought that was good to slow things down for the crazy grain. back on the program now. it is mostly at the cambium area. fans are on high for now.

doc henderson · September 21, 2023, 05:41:43 PM

about 5 gallons a day. water coming out.

doc henderson · May 02, 2024, 10:23:17 AM

still holding together. will recheck the moisture content today. Half belongs to jeff. Dr. Lairmore is interested in a chunk, and I will offer that to Jeff, as this is way above his skill and equipment for woodworking. I am thinking a larger piece that Dr. L wants is prob. at a thousand bucks? any thoughts. bottom chunks are 4 feet wide and 8 feet long.