Black Gum Burl

[Tom Megow]

A friend in So.Ga. found this Black gum burl on his property. (I had asked him to be on the lookout for burls.)
He is not sure he want to cut down the tree. My question is the burl worth anything? Can a burl be removed without killing the tree?
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[charlie knighton]

i do not have much experience with any burls, I doubt you can get all of those burls without killing the tree, it looks like they surround the trunk, maybe slice a section off, but would leave an open wound that would need to be cover with something. I believe I have seen black gum burl at some of the symposium's wood sellers, very nice stuff. good luck

[Dan Hintz]

Great googley moogley! That is a sweet SET of burls. If he doesn't want to take the tree down, ask him to keep an eye on it (and pray lightning hits it ;) ). That burl is so invasive I wouldn't try to cut it off.

[Tom Megow]

Charlie,Dan and all
He is asking me if it's worth anything. (He's not a turner)
I doubt he could do any real nice blanks, just sell the green burl

[Tom Collins]

When it comes to a burl on the tree I offer no more than firewood prices. You have no idea what the internal condition of the burl is until it is cut open. It could be solid or it could be hollow and full of black ants. If you get it on the ground and find it is good condition you could look on websites of burl sellers and see what they are charging for that type burl. Often burls are sold by the pound.
I personally would never remove a burl from a live tree. Either cut the tree or leave the tree. Cutting the burl off opens the tree up to all kinds of insect and disease attack and does nothing to improve the tree. (Just my 32 years as a forester coming to the surface).

TomC

[Harry Robinette]

I'm with Tom on this 100*. Cut it down or leave stand NO in between.

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

I would offer come remove that diseased tree from his property *at no charge* before the disease spreads to other trees.

[William Bachtel]

I wood offer him 200.oo bucks, no more, than cut it down, and find a sawmill who can help you saw it into blanks, seal all blanks, on all surfaces, also cut it in the winter,,when the sap is down. Anchorseal is a great sealer, use their original sealer. Don't wait for the tree to die, and let him contact you that will never happen. If a tree starts to die, so do the burls, making them almost useless. If he won't sell it, leave it .