Is it worth saving burls?

[British Red]

My tree surgeopn buddy just dumped a load of wood on the drive (again) To get ahead of 2015s firewood. After he left and I was piling it up I noticed there are quite a few sizeable burls and pieces of burl in there (by sizeable I mean football size and up)


IMG_9024 by British Red, on Flickr


IMG_9025 by British Red, on Flickr


IMG_9026 by British Red, on Flickr


IMG_9027 by British Red, on Flickr


IMG_9028 by British Red, on Flickr

Almost seems a shame to chainsaw them up for the stove really

 

[HillBill]

If the burls are from useful woods then i'd be inclined to save and season them.

 

[mikew]

Don't burn them! That big burl could probably keep a couple of knife makers going for years.

What's the wood?

 

[British Red]

No idea on the wood to be honest, very little clean bark on it to get a decent ID. I'll text my mate and see if he can remember. He just drops me a 7 1/2 tonner of logs - all sorts in a load - whatever he has been felling. Its nicely figured stuff with a smooth grey green bark from the little I can see.

 

[bigroomboy]

Good for bowls and cups as well. Worth keeping

 

[HillBill]

. Its nicely figured stuff with a smooth grey green bark from the little I can see.

Beech perhaps?

 

[British Red]

I did think beech as a possibility Mark. I'll probably put it to one side in a barn for a while in case I can sell / trade it. I can always burn it later if I can't find someone local who wants it (I'm not much of a one for carving as you know)

 

[skate]

Woodturners would love them. In Britain they are "burrs". Burl is the American name. They could make some amazing bowls. would be a shame to burn them.

 

[Perrari]

Definately worth saving. As you have already said you can always burn them at a later date. Wish someone gave me some burrs.

 

[HillBill]

I prefer burls. I'm a metal worker and burrs are something left over after machining/drilling metal that need removing or de-burring.

Woodturners would love them. In Britain they are "burrs". Burl is the American name. They could make some amazing bowls. would be a shame to burn them.

 

[mikew]

And there's of course the burrs that are used in Dremmel type tools and by dentists

 

[HillBill]

Indeed ..

 

[British Red]

They are horse chestnut burls apparently

I've left them to one side for a future trade with someone who can use such things

 

[The Big Lebowski]

They go as hard as concrete once seasoned. Harder than seasoned hornbeam.

Just for a possible alternative use.

 

[British Red]

Mill gears perhaps?

 

[Angst]

hi...definitely keep them...

a

 

[robin wood]

I thought they were horse chestnut. It's a rather large burr pattern so works best on big bowls rather than small knife scales. It would still make decent scales though or kuksas. It is a nice pale creamy colour if worked green and if left lying for a while tends to get less pleasant grey streaks through it. If it was mine I would shove some through a bandsaw or rip it with a chainsaw into chunks say 2" think that can be resawn for knife scales then I would carve what I could green and the rest would be firewood.

PS it is not hard though like all woods is softer and easier to work when green and harder when dry.

 

[British Red]

No bandsaw this end sadly Robin, I may try to cut some up roughly with the Husqy

I suspect its already had a year or more of seasoning - the rest of that load was pretty dry stuff. I suppose If I cut it up crudely, I can always neaten it up un the sliding chop saw - got to be worth a go. If you want some and can collect it at some point Robin I'll put the bowl sized bits to one side?

 

[robin wood]

Thanks for the offer but I currently have a large pile of timber and tend to prefer it fresher.