Harvesting Burl Wood

[Matthew N. Masail]

I live near a forest, so sometimes I go down to look for fallen branches and stuff. mainly there are 2 types of trees there - pine and olive. needless to say it's the olive I look for !


the other day I came across a huge, maybe about 20X20 inches, olive root section disconnected from the tree. I have no idea how it became disconnected, but the forest preservation guys often cut off branches and stuff so it might be them. in any case I was wondering how one might harvest something like that. I was thinking to try and get a chain-saw and cut a cube, or several cubes out of it.


any advice?


Thanks.

[Brian Holcombe]

I have no advice, but I do want to see pictures of the result :)

[Bill Houghton]

Root sections can be hell on chainsaws - the chain is expert at finding stones, grit, etc. tucked into the folds of the root ball. So, yes, you can do it, but expect to do a lot of sharpening and meditative breathing or cursing, depending on your inclinations.

The root stock in some trees is kind of spongy; in others, it's incredibly fine wood. No way to know until you open it up.

[Matthew N. Masail]

well I don't own a chine saw, but I've decided to try and harvest as much wood as I can so maybe it's worth buying one. is a chain-saw prone to kick-back or anything like that?

[Matthew N. Masail]

I have no advice, but I do want to see pictures of the result :)

will do. I'll try to post a pic of the end-grain of the "regular" wood I found. mostly small pieces but the wood is amazing..

[Jim Koepke]

well I don't own a chine saw, but I've decided to try and harvest as much wood as I can so maybe it's worth buying one. is a chain-saw prone to kick-back or anything like that?

Yes, chain saws can kick back. My chain saw has a brake on the hand bar so if the saw kicks back the blade is locked. Could still get a nasty bonk on the head.

Just like a table saw it is advisable to stand to the side of the chain saw so incase it does kick back it will not hit any part of the operator's body.

Hard hat and face shield are also advised.

jtk

[Paul Sidener]

If you use a chainsaw, just assume the chain will need to sharpen the chain afterwards. Putting the chain into the soil dulls it very fast. Get chaps as well. Good luck.

[Matthew N. Masail]

What is Chaps?

I'm looking at electrical chain saws, any recommendations as to motor size\brand\features to look for?

[Jim Koepke]

What is Chaps?

I'm looking at electrical chain saws, any recommendations as to motor size\brand\features to look for?

Chaps (usually pronounced shaps) are the leg covers used by ranch hands to protect their legs while riding through chaparral, (were the name originates and why it starts with the sh sound), tangled thorny bush of the western United States. There are specific ones available for use with a chain saw. They will help to prevent accidental leg amputation.

Do you have a real long extension cord? My knowledge of the battery powered chainsaws is nonexistent.

As to brand, when my chainsaw was purchased all the loggers around here used Stihl brand chain saws. Figured if those who live by their saws use them they were likely good enough for me.

As someone suggested if you are cutting into roots or near the ground your chain will suffer. A sharpening kit for the shop and a few extra chains in the field may be your best investment after the saw.

jtk

[Paul Sidener]

What is Chaps?

I'm looking at electrical chain saws, any recommendations as to motor size\brand\features to look for?

I don't think chaps work with electric chainsaws. Chaps are designed to stop the chain, if it contacts your leg. Get the largest motor and bar you can. Electric saws aren't very big or strong. You wound be better off with a gas one with a 14 inch bar. I use Stihl saws at every day work, they are worth the money. I can't really help with electric saws.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0ejn7wB9vM

[Stan Calow]

you can rent one

[Chris Hachet]

you can rent one

This would be my thought on the matter

[Alan Rutherford]

you can rent one

That brings back memories. Long time ago I wanted the keel of my sailboat to be lighter. With a rented chainsaw I cut a rectangular window all the way through the keel and cut the resulting chunk of lead into two pieces of about 600 pounds each. The lead was not hard on the chainsaw and I got it back clean and sharp within a 2-hour rental. Dirt might not be so forgiving.

(For anyone who is interested, I filled the resulting hole with foam and glassed over it so the profile was unchanged, but removing 1200 pounds from the ballast of a 16,000 pound sailboat is pretty drastic. Less would have been better.)

[Kees Heiden]

Is chainsawing lead a good idea? :eek:

Matthew, can't you use an axe? Makes a lot less noise and might not attract the foresters.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I should clarify - I do not under any circumstance cut down part of a tree that is still connected to the tree! I look for fallen\cut branches only. I do not think it's ok to "steal" from a protected forest.


Plus, you guys scared me with this "accidental amputation" thing.... I guess I should rent one (great idea thanks stan) and see how I feel using it.
I have a tiny little axe.... it would take me about 2 days and jar of elbow grease to cut that thing down... plus I plan on working a lot of branches. I've used my band saw for smaller pieces but wet wood is a pain to work with. how capable would a big axe be?

[Alan Rutherford]

I'm not clear on what's there. If it's a chunk of wood not attached to a tree and not buried in the ground, you can haul it off. I don't believe olive trees grow huge. If it's part of a root (sounds like it) then I would start with a pick axe and shovel and excavate around it. Two reaons: First to clear the dirt so you do less damage to whatever tool you use. More important: most root balls get small very quickly and you might find that by severing a few root branches, the problem is greatly reduced. You might find you could remove it with a bow saw.

As for an axe: a sharp axe in the hands of someone who knows how to use it is a marvelous tool but will still destroy the wood in a 90-degree cut. It will be damaged by the dirt and if I had to choose between digging dirt with a chainsaw or one of my carefully-sharpened axes, it would not be an easy choice.


Is chainsawing lead a good idea? ....

Only if you tell the rental shop what you intend to do. Seriously - with a good dust mask and eye protection I would do it again. It left over 100 pounds of chips which I swept up and kept. I doubt that any of the dust was light enough to go anywhere This was in a boatyard where they applied bottom paint containing mercury and did all kinds of things which you probably cannot do today, but I don't think the lead made things any different.

[Judson Green]

An Axe might be useful to fell the tree but to make boards out of a burl I don't think it'll be very helpful.

Could one rive a root burl?

My guess is that the wood, of nearly any species, in this location (root and or burl) would not lend itself to riving.

Matthew, if you got it out of the ground (with picks, shovels, axe and might) could you hand saw it with an aggressive rip saw? How big is this?

[Yusuke Heller]

If you're going to invest in a chainsaw don't even look at the electrics. You'll be glad you went with a gas motor. And the higher cc's the better within budget. Try to get the most power that you can afford. You'll be glad you did when you come across that awesome downed tree that's going to need it. The other reason for higher cc's... If you're looking to try and hunt for burls... why stop there? Burls are great when you come across one every now and then. More likely than not though will be finding nice downed trees without burls. Highly figured logs pay dollars. And slabbing such logs can be a fairly lucrative side job. If you're going to slab logs you'll want the power and you'll need to be set up with a ripping chain. Most likely the blade that comes with any chainsaw is going to be for cross cutting. That would be fine for slabbing off a burl, but not for slabbing the length of a log.

And as others have mentioned... If you're going to cut into a root ball with a chainsaw... be prepared to have A LOT of down time sitting there resharpening your chain. Try not to ever hit the ground with the blade running. When you see small sparks flying, you'll know you're hitting dirt/ small rocks (hell maybe big ones). You'll see how fast you can dull a chain or completely trash it.

Typically if you're going to cut up a root, you dig it out and haul it back to wherever your shop or house is... Get yourself a power washer and spray the hell out of it to try and get as much of the mud/rocks out of the roots. This is very dirty work and expect to be covered in mud. But once the root is prepped you'll be able to rip through it with far less damage to your chain than you would otherwise incur by just going right at it uncleaned.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Thanks Yushuke!

I finally found some time today to take a pic. this is the forementioned root section 302311

[Alan Rutherford]

I can see from the pictures you posted what you hope is in this piece. I have 2 small olive-wood camels which I bought in Jerusalem a long time ago. They were being made on an "assembly line" of about 6 people sitting around a table. They have no surface finish but were delicately carved and are very nice. My wife gets them out with the seasonal stuff this month every year.

A chainsaw doesn't look like the solution to that problem unless that's all you have - and it's not. I hope you'll let us know what you do.

[Judson Green]

Matthew, have you cut this open yet?

[Matthew N. Masail]

I can see from the pictures you posted what you hope is in this piece. I have 2 small olive-wood camels which I bought in Jerusalem a long time ago. They were being made on an "assembly line" of about 6 people sitting around a table. They have no surface finish but were delicately carved and are very nice. My wife gets them out with the seasonal stuff this month every year.

A chainsaw doesn't look like the solution to that problem unless that's all you have - and it's not. I hope you'll let us know what you do.

Hi Alan, I will indeed update you guys but I'm not really sure what to do with it. I don't have anything at the moment but I'm leaning towards a chainsaw and checking other options like a friend with a mill or somthing, then I'd collect a larg amount of stuff and do it all at once. the bottom picture is a small log I cut up with my small bandsaw. but the other piece is burl, so yes I'm hoping it will be something beautiful!

[Matthew N. Masail]

Matthew, have you cut this open yet?

Not yet.... wish I had though