What to do with this Maple Burl?

[Rick de Roque]

I was helping my brother clean out a storage locker and I found this and he said he bought it about 5 years ago and said for helping him he gave this to me (gloat?). I have never worked with anything like this before so I need some ideas. Make a couple bowls? natual table top? etc. It is 37" x 26" x 3" thick.
Thanks,
Rick

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/rd4212/woodworking%20stuff/burl.jpg

[Steve Wargo]

That's simple... Send it to me!
Nice score.

[Rick de Roque]

That's simple... Send it to me!
Nice score.
What to do with maple burl? Except send it to someone else;)

Rick

[John Michaels]

My vote would be a table. The upper left area that was cut with a saw could face the wall so it's not noticeable.

[Corey Hallagan]

As a turner, wow.... I could think of several things. 3 inch thick is good. I would get some pen blanks out of it, couple vase blanks, bowl blank if you turn bowls... box blanks. Cool piece!

[John Timberlake]

Looks like a really unique coffee table to me. Many options for legs.

[Jim Becker]

Table top if it were in my shop... ;)

[Jim Bell]

Bowls and platters
Jim
:)

[Al Killian]

If it where up to me I would go for a table top. It is a exspensive junk of wood to cut into bowl blanks.

[Chris Barton]

As someone that turns, does flat work (GWW) and veneer work, I think you have several options. Just looking at the slab I see a couple of bowls as possibilities and then you could turn the rest into pens, wine toppers, etc. Or, you could do the table top but, I would resaw it into two 1.5" pieces for that. And, lastly, what I would be most likely to do, take it to my big bandsaw and make about 30 sheets of veneer to use on other flatwork projects...

[Rick de Roque]

As someone that turns, does flat work (GWW) and veneer work, I think you have several options. Just looking at the slab I see a couple of bowls as possibilities and then you could turn the rest into pens, wine toppers, etc. Or, you could do the table top but, I would resaw it into two 1.5" pieces for that. And, lastly, what I would be most likely to do, take it to my big bandsaw and make about 30 sheets of veneer to use on other flatwork projects...
Chris,
You have a bandsaw that can resaw this wide of burl? Nashville isn't too far from Conway...;)

Rick

[Mark Pruitt]

My first instinct was to suggest turning bowls. But the more I look at that piece, the more I envision it being intact (including thickness) as a table top. The biggest challenge to me would be in designing a leg configuration that would compliment the top. I would burn the sawn area at the upper left, maybe even make a few stress cuts in it to lessen the contrast.

[Rick de Roque]

Everyone, thanks for the ideas. Does anyone have any pics of some burl stuff they have done? (bowls, tables, etc)

Thanks,
Rick

[John Piwaron]

Table. No doubt. It's big enough for a really spectacular top. Now ya gotta find some stylish legs to go under it.

I'm envious. Great hunk 'o wood!

[Chris Barton]

Chris,
You have a bandsaw that can resaw this wide of burl? Nashville isn't too far from Conway...;)

Rick

There is another creeker closer to you than me that has the bandsaw capability to do that, just send a PM to tod evans who lives in Mt Home...

[Blaine Harrison]

Nobody's given you a "congrats" for the gloat on getting the burl. That's one spectacular piece of wood. Whatever you make from it will be a showpiece, for sure.

Blaine

[Frank Fusco]

It doesn't look big enough for a gunstock, but you could get some really spectacular pistol grips out of it. And save scraps for pen blanks. Bowls, small turnings, actually anything would be great. Nice haul.

[Jerry Strojny]

My vote would be for table. Just too nice to make toothpicks out of it. Nice gloat too.