Hemlock Burl

[Rick Dragovich]

Hi all,
Not a turner yet, but have been reading the turners forum for a few weeks now and figured if anyone would know burls, it would be you. A friend of mine harvested this a few months ago from a blown down tree. I was wondering if anyone here knew what might be inside. It is going to be a cool grain or will it have eyes or what? I searched the net but came up with very little info on them. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/album399/hemlock_1.sized.jpg

http://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/album399/hemlock_2.sized.jpg

http://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/album399/hemlock_3.sized.jpg

[TYLER WOOD]

All burls are terrible and should immediately be dispoased of by sending them to me to destroy!:D

Actually most burls make extrodinary figure. They have swilrs eyes and other grain features you rarely see in normal pieces of wood.
No personal experience with hemlock, but several other varieties of burls.

[Mike Vickery]

I have never heard of any way to tell until you cut into them.
Good luck.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

SHAME ON YOU TYLER! You KNOW IT"S MY TURN! YOU GOT THE LAST ONE!

Remember,Rick, Hemlock is a POISON......... Don't drink tea made from it.

Bruce

[Brian Myers]

Its just like the rest of the tree...............you never know until you cut into it.;) Natures always full of surprises.:cool:

[William Bachtel]

It looks like a piece of art just the way it is.

[William Bachtel]

It looks like a piece of art just the way it is. Its only going to get better.

[Rick Dragovich]

Relax! No one gets this one. You all had your turn when I posted some maple burl blocks. Unfortunetly, there was a mis-understanding with the moderator and by the time it was cleared up, it was all gone. :(
I do understand what burls look like inside. I have maple burl, a piece of cherry burl, and have seen madrona, walnut, and a few other hardwood burls. I have never seen an evergreen burl though. I was just curious if it anyone had ever actually seen the inside of one. There is only one pictue I can find on the net and it isnt a very good one to tell by.
And william, you are right. It is beautiful the way it is. It would be a shame to cut it open if it isn't worth it.

[TYLER WOOD]

CUT!! CUT!! CUT!! CUT!! CUT!! CUT!!
All jon in now

CUT!! CUT! CUT, get the hint, you'll never know until you do it. I vote see what's in it. It is pretty, but are you going to have it in your house? I doubt it, cut the sucker on the lathe and lets see a beautiful bowl or hollow form.

[Don Orr]

I have never heard of any way to tell until you cut into them.

I did a CAT scan on a maple burl once to see what would happen. :D The detail of the insides is amazing. You can actually see the grain lines, air pockets, bark inclusions, etc. Not something I do all the time though. Also did an MRI on a piece of fresh cut apple to see if it would work and it did:eek: . Very cool images. I have to figure out a way to get photos so I can post them.

By the way, the hemlock tree is not what the poison is made from.

[Kim Ford]

To cut or not to cut that is the question..

I watched a documentry of a backwoods-man that carved a salad bowl from a spruce burl that he took off the trunk of the tree. It turned out very nice. Not a lot of color but some pretty wild grain. I keep thinking all the time I was watching that he should rig up a spring pole lathe.

Have fun either way.

[Paul Engle]

Rick, severial years ago a turner friend of mine did a 25" red fir burl we found deer hunting above Sandpoint ID, the color was pretty consistant ( red ) but the grain was everywhichawaybutloose..I have the core he did from the bigger bowl , he got the deer also :mad: .... good luck with yours and have fun and do not forget to post when it is finished.