Black Ash Burl

[Brian McInturff]

Just watched 3 auctions on eb*y end and these blanks brought outrageous prices. 15x15x5 for 76.00 and 23x21x8 fro 133.00. What gives. Is this real rare or something? Oh, and those prices didn't include the 20-30 dollars the guy is charging for shipping. I'm not familiar with Black Ash but to me for a domestic wood that seems kinda high. Anyone know why so much? Thanks, Brian

[Bernie Weishapl]

You caught that to Brian? I just said Wow. I couldn't believe the price.

[Dario Octaviano]

LOL...I was watching those too and amazed how much they sold. I guess they are not common that is why they went that high.

Good thing that I am not into wood buying mode these days (the reverse actually). Surely, even if I am in the buy mode...I won't get near that high for those pieces.

[George Tokarev]

Black ash burl is some spectacular stuff, but the ones I've had the pleasure of were brittle and had to be cut with care. Not that common, and as the cancer of a tree of modest dimension, usually not that big.

Then there's location. If you're on the left coast, only way you'll see one of them is to buy it. If you've got some swampy land available back east, you can harvest it for free. Makes the final product price out a bit differently when the wood is free.

[Keith Burns]

It is my understanding that Black Ash Burl is very rare and can only be harvested in winter when the swamps in Minnesota are frozen over.

[Quinn McCarthy]

I live in northern Minnesota. About 90% of the logging done up here is done in the winter. Black ash is usually a bottomland species and produces very nice burls. I wouldn't say BA burls are rare more uncommon. There are some stands were you can see a half dozen at a time. I have scrounged up a few here and there. I know someone that has a garage full of them. He isn't selling any. I have seen BA in northern Wis that were on upland hardwood sights that had great height and form. In the swamp the form isn't so good. Even non burl BA makes some nice bowls. It is really a pretty wood. I turned a 6' tall coat rack from BA and posted it here last spring.

I hope that helps.

Quinn
Forester and woodworker (Nakoda Millwork)

[Jim Becker]

It's an auction. Folks pay stupendous prices for things they could fine in their back yard...or someone elses back yard, at least...

[Frank Kobilsek]

Maybe I'm a sap but those are big pieces which increases their value. Retail wood turning blocks are all over the place in price. I paid $3 each for a few Black Ash burl stopper blocks that turned out spectacular, I wish the guy had more. He could cut 300+ stopper blocks from the larger of those two blanks (which would be a sin) so maybe I could say its worth $900 (can sell that at home). That big piece would make probably 4 nice sized HF which from the hands of some of our friends here might offer a good return on investment. Wood is worth whatever the vision of the buyer can swallow.

Frank

[Curt Fuller]

It is my understanding that Black Ash Burl is very rare and can only be harvested in winter when the swamps in Minnesota are frozen over.

I was glad to see Quinn's reply to this because I can never quite tell when Keith is pulling someone's leg;) .

Back in the day, the online auction site that starts with and e and ends with a Bay was a good place for bargains. Anymore it seems to be hard to find many.

[Dick Strauss]

As W.C.Fields used to say..."there is a sucker born every minute"

[William Bachtel]

Wood someone show me a photo of blackash.

[Cory Norgart]

I wasnt able to see the peices you are talking about but if they are blanks that sounds about the right price. I too live in northern Mn, I also have a garage full, no sapwood. Later.

[Brian McInturff]

Wow Cory,
Talk about digging through the files:). I've turned quite a bit of Black Ash Burl since writing that one. If you have some pics of what you got I'd be interested in some. Now the big question----Is it bug free. I sure don't want to introduce the beetle here that has plagued you guys out in the northwest. Shoot me a PM with what you got.