Another Mike Smith shipment - BURL!!!

[John Keeton]

A couple of weeks ago, I received a box of Claro walnut from Mike, and an email that burls would be forthcoming. Today was the day!! I love BLM burls, and these are some nice ones. All dry, and one of them nicely spalted. I will place these among the others to await the right moment and the right project. Should be able to get some very nice pieces from these.

[Marty Eargle]

Geez, I plan on e-mail Mike tomorrow about setting up a trip out to his place to pick up some wood to start Christmas presents...you better not have snatched up all the good stuff, John!

I have a few BLM burl caps from my last meeting with Mike that I've been saving...look forward to see what you do with these bad boys so I can have something to look up to. :D

[Bernie Weishapl]

Wow glad I was one step ahead of John on the Claro walnut.:eek::rolleyes:

[charlie knighton]

John, sounds like hoarding to me, next thing ya know you will not be able to open the door to the shop for the wood, unless you have a separate wood shack

pretty stuff

[John M. Smith]

Can't wait to see what you do with these.

[John Keeton]

John, sounds like hoarding to me, next thing ya know you will not be able to open the door to the shop for the wood, unless you have a separate wood shack

pretty stuffCharlie, I am fortunate to have a rehabilitated tobacco barn in which much of my wood is stored. However, I keep nearly all of the burls and smaller stuff in the 24x16 storage section of the metal building that houses my shop. Some years ago, I bought a bunch of pallet racking, and slowly but surely, all the other things that occupied that shelving are being relegated to other areas and replaced by wood. Amazing how much one can accumulate!! It truly is an illness, and getting to know Mike has not helped it in any way!!!

[charlie knighton]

Amazing how much one can accumulate!! It truly is an illness, and getting to know Mike has not helped it in any way!!!

John, it sure is nice when all of sudden you need something special and you got some special wood already on hand, enjoy, looking forward to seeing it when you turn it

[David DeCristoforo]

"I am fortunate to have a rehabilitated tobacco barn in which much of my wood is stored..."

So where do you keep your tobacco?

Lovely looking caps BTW...

[John Keeton]

David, having grown up in eastern KY, I was not exposed to tobacco farming until I moved to central KY. It is a LOT of work, for not much money. And, there have been many changes in the tobacco programs, so there isn't much raised here now. But, the barn sure makes for great storage - it is about 35x60, with lofts. Good place for the tractor, mowers, etc., too.

[David E Keller]

Nice haul, John!

I was standing in the shop today staring at the piles of wood that I've accumulated, and I came to the realization that I seem to get two or three pieces of wood for every one that I manage to turn. I seem to have a great deal of difficulty actually committing to turn the really 'prized pieces'... Any one else share this affliction?

[charlie knighton]

John, sounds like you got enough room for your own symposium. course then you would have to baby-sit all of us in person, hehe

[John Keeton]

Charlie, we did host a turning club meeting here - the video is on the club website here (http://bluegrassareawoodturners.org/). It is the 4 minute video under the "August 6 meeting - Sanding Handout" section if you want to take a look - and, we did feed a bunch of folks!!

David, I have some of the same problem, but I am trying to overcome it. I am slowly organizing my wood, and finally realizing what I like to turn, and what I actually will turn. Part of that is realizing that I incur a lot of waste in a burl cap. I love them, and for NE pieces, they are perfect. But, for HFs like much of what I do, there is a significant amount of waste - and wasted money. Even at the VERY reasonable prices that Mike Smith has on his burls (cheapest I have ever found), I still incur a lot of waste. On the larger burls, one can usually get 2-3 HFs from them, but that isn't always the best use of them.

I have two large buckeye burls that Alan Trout was interested in at one time - they have a lot of voids, etc., and I have looked at them a dozen times thinking of what I could do with them. Someday, I will come up with a plan.

In the meantime, I have refined my wood buying as much as possible - but, still get excited when I see something nice and HAVE TO OWN IT!!

[charlie knighton]

John, i remember that, i remember thinking i would have liked being there. if you ever do have mini-symposium, please do not have it in august, my truck camper fits an air mattress pretty easily, but no air conditioning in the back, spring or fall is best for me (unless someone will rent me a bed/shower in their 55' camper/homeonwheels)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful wood John! Looks like the exact kind of wood you need to have in your collection! Looking forward to seeing what you turn out of it!

[Tim Rinehart]

Nice haul, John!

I was standing in the shop today staring at the piles of wood that I've accumulated, and I came to the realization that I seem to get two or three pieces of wood for every one that I manage to turn. I seem to have a great deal of difficulty actually committing to turn the really 'prized pieces'... Any one else share this affliction?
You betcha! Kinda drives me nuts at times. Would be easier if there weren't so many fine turners and unique things being done that we have access to.

[Baxter Smith]

Another nice haul! Fort Knox isn't the only place in Kentucky filled with treasure.:)