Small Cherry burls

[Donny Lawson]

While at work today we were asked to pick up a large pine tree that had fallen across the road and when we arrived I noticed it took out 2 Cherry trees on the way down. I then noticed it had small burls all over it. Here are a few and I was wondering how to cut them to get the most use from the burl? Should I cut the pith out and turn like a regular blank and hope the burl is deep or, what would you do? The piece with the 3-4 burls together would be nice if they are deep but I don't know. I did seal the ends for now but I need to get to them as soon as possible. I know Cherry cracks pretty fast.

[Baxter Smith]

Donny, I am sure someone with a lot more experience will chime in but I usually cut them through the pith, then try to center the template on top. Then mount between centers to start so you can reorient the blank to take best advantage of what you find. Probably the prettiest wood is going to be the top. Shallow NE bowls would be nice. Time to try a HF with the top of the burl on top. If you put them in plastic garbage bags you should be good for a while too.

[Dan Forman]

A great way to break in all that new stuff you got!!! Sorry I don't have much in way of advice, I don't have much experience with burls still on the tree trunk.

Dan

[John Keeton]

Donny, I have turned several burls, but they have all been dry and purchased! Makes it much easier. There is hardly anything prettier than a cherry burl, though, and this is going to a great situation for you. I would do as Baxter said, but at least a portion of the larger burl is crying out to be a HF.

[John Hart]

If it were me Donny, I would retain extra "plain" wood in my cut. That would give me something to work with to get it on the lathe...sorta like a built-in tenon. Or, you could consider graduating down from the burl-to-plain in the final piece. But most importantly, get rid of anything that will start to crack (pith). Then let the wood do the talkin' :)

[Richard Coers]

Only cutting will tell, but I'm thinking that those are more like repairs than burls. I don't see any limb buds in the pics. There are some burls that I think are called onion style. They are more like swirl grain than buds and eyes. Sometimes in the styles like you have, you will find a rotten section, from a broken branch, in the middle. But that is all conjecture until you open them up. How to cut depends on what you want to turn. Cherry likes to crack, so I wouldn't get too close to the pith. A traditional bowl will work better with bark down, natural edge of course the opposite. Good luck.