Burl Score

[Mark Burge]

I was driving down the street when I saw this just sitting in a pile of limbs on the side of the road. My four year old was as excited as I was, maybe more. As you can see, it's about the size of the small wheel on a Big Wheel. Anyway, I should be getting to work so I thought I would just post and then check back later.

I have never cracked open a burl before so I have a few questions. What is the best orientation to use? It looks like the burl formed around a Y in the branch. Should I avoid where the limb wood runs through or can I use the whole piece? I'm going to try to rough turn and then dry it, so are there extra precautions with drying a burl?

Thanks in advance - Mark

[Steve Schlumpf]

Mark - always hard to judge where to cut a curl - especially when only dealing with a photo. If it were mine - I would cut it right down the middle of both branch sections and turn as 2 crotch bowls.

Whatever you decide - have fun wit it! Glad to hear your son likes spotting burls also! Helps to have another set of eyes when scouting for wood!

[George Morris]

Mark good for you! You son is a good person to have watching from the back seat! Have fun turning it! G

[John Keeton]

I like Steve's suggestion - a double gloat - crotch figure and burl times two!!

[Mark Burge]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll give Steve's suggestion a try. I hope I can get to the shop tonight. I forgot to say that the lady at the house I got this from said that it was a black walnut tree. I will like it if I have a second piece to give back to the owners.

[Allen Neighbors]

What a lucky find!! Happy turning... and don't forget the pics.... :)

[Baxter Smith]

Looks like it will be fun!

[David E Keller]

Great find... Looking forward to the finished pics.

[Robert Arrowood]

Cool find there.It kinda looks like a cherry burl to me,at least from the looks of the bark.

[Mark Burge]

Here is the first rough out. I went down the center of the burl. There was a lot of bark to turn away. Also the wood was very sticky almost like turning wet pine! I had to sharpen more often just to get the pitch off the gouge. I was getting tired and making mistakes, so I decided to quit for the evening. Thanks for looking.

[neil mackay]

]Mark - always hard to judge where to cut a curl - especially when only dealing with a photo. If it were mine - I would cut it right down the middle of both branch sections and turn as 2 crotch bowls.
Good advice Mark, we get a lot of burls down done under, many just like the one you have. Just split it down the middle through the pith or branch sections. There no right or wrong way about it as you cant tell what its like until you cut it up