Local Firewood Dealer has given me access...

[Eric Schatz]

The local firewood magnate has given me freedom to roam around the piles. He uses convicts as workers from the local court system as a rehabilitation system. The guys have about 6 teeth between all of them but they are the nicest people. As a result the city (about 60,000 people) gives the owner all of the cut down trees from general services. This guy has mountains of firewood. He has a huge warehouse he seasons the smoking wood in. He also happens to be my next door neighbor.

He's letting me pick out huge chunks of spalted maple for .50 a piece. I know there's got to be some flame/curly/whatever maple in there. What would that looks like from the aspect of split sections (ie. firewood)? I'm not sure how to identify it. I assume it comes around branches and knots and I can find those but I'm not sure otherwise.

Thanks!

BTW: I spent about 15 minutes telling the workers what a burl was and showing them pictures on my phone. They promised to set anything aside for me... :D

[Aaron Craven]

I do believe you've hit the jackpot! I'm jealous!

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

if it's split wood - you'll see the curl in the split surface.

[Chris Hachet]

Jealous...just got a lathe...need to get turning...

[David Gilbert]

Eric,

Where do you live? Do you need a new best friend?

Cheers,
David

[Dale Bonertz]

Eric,

That curl or quilting can also be found in very large maple trees especially on the lower area of the main trunk. I believe it has to do with the weight and stress from the upper part of the tree.

[Olaf Vogel]

The local firewood magnate has given me freedom to roam around the piles. He uses convicts as workers from the local court system as a rehabilitation system. The guys have about 6 teeth between all of them but they are the nicest people. As a result the city (about 60,000 people) gives the owner all of the cut down trees from general services. This guy has mountains of firewood. He has a huge warehouse he seasons the smoking wood in. He also happens to be my next door neighbor.

He's letting me pick out huge chunks of spalted maple for .50 a piece. I know there's got to be some flame/curly/whatever maple in there. What would that looks like from the aspect of split sections (ie. firewood)? I'm not sure how to identify it. I assume it comes around branches and knots and I can find those but I'm not sure otherwise.

Thanks!

BTW: I spent about 15 minutes telling the workers what a burl was and showing them pictures on my phone. They promised to set anything aside for me... :D


The nice part about this is the turners like all the pieces that others HATE.
Crotch pieces, roots, branches etc. That stuff is hard to split, cut, can't make boards etc.

I've had similar experience here, the lumber mills and firewood guys.

Olaf

[John K Jordan]

flame/curly/whatever

The flame comes from crotch wood, where a trunk splits into two or where a large branch meets the trunk. Watch for signs of decay or indications of bark inclusions. If the bark in the crotch looks good the wood is probably good.

As mentioned, curly is easy to see as ripples in the split.

When I split firewood I watch for the wild grain in the split - this is from a piece of white oak in my firewood pile:
332380

Sometimes curly or birdseye or other fantastic figure can be hinted by unusual ripples, bumps, or twisting visible on the bark. Sometimes I use an axe to peek at the wood under the bark. Hardwood with knots is often disappointing.

A smooth bump on the outside of a tree might look like a burl but could also be where the tree grew over a broken/rotten branch and can be a big disappointment inside with rotten wood and bark inclusions.

With wood cut for firewood in general be careful about splits from shrinkage that may go far into the wood. If they will allow, I'd carry a small chain saw and a container of anchorseal.

JKJ

[Dick Strauss]

Good luck finding some good stuff and don't forget to share pictures of your finds with us!

As JKJ mentions, don't get excited by branch nubbins!

Remember:
A BUMP does not equal a BURL.
CURL does not equal BURL.

Take care!