Wanted wood carving help

[QDanT]

Inspired by topknot's what's your winter project and eel28's what shall I try to make.
I'm more at home with a welder so some really basic wood questions :-
This is growing on my permission on a Sycamore tree

Is it a Burl ? can it be carved ? I'm thinking small bowl , Kuska ,is it worth carving ? carve wet or allow to dry ?
paint the tree after cut or char with blowlamp or leave to heal by itself ?
thanks all Danny

 

[penvisser]

Just go for it.....otherwise the question will allways remain....

painting the wound is probably a good thing to do.

ATB,

Jan

 

[robin wood]

Burr is UK Burl USA word for the same thing. This is not burr wood in the normal sense of a mass of undeveloped epicormic buds so it won't have the spotted mottled grain.

I suspect the grain swirls around following the profile so would still be more interesting than carving straight grained wood. Painting sealant on woulds was what gardeners did in the 80's it has been shown to be quite detrimental creating the right moist environment for fungal growth. I never heard of scortching but am sure that would also increase the damage. If you have permission to cut and want to do it cut it at the point where the resulting wound will be the smallest and then leave it alone.

 

[hog]

As a famous running shoe logo- JUST DO IT.

 

[Shewie]

My understanding was that a burl should only be taken if the tree's on its' way out or it's already down for whatever reason ??

Seems a shame to cause fairly substatial damage to a sycamore for the sake of a bowl or two.

There are one or two folk on the forum who work in forestry day in day out, you could probably get yourself a burl or two if you ask them.

 

[Hoodoo]

My understanding was that a burl should only be taken if the tree's on its' way out or it's already down for whatever reason ??

Seems a shame to cause fairly substatial damage to a sycamore for the sake of a bowl or two.

There are one or two folk on the forum who work in forestry day in day out, you could probably get yourself a burl or two if you ask them.

I don't particularly like to kibitz but I have to agree with Shewie on this one. My sympathies would be with the tree. Before you cut, though, I would check with whoever the local experts are and see if the tree is prone to any specific infections by bugs, beetles, fungi, etc. and also see if there are any outbreaks currently occuring. An open wound can become a point of entry.

 

[Gailainne]

My understanding was that a burl should only be taken if the tree's on its' way out or it's already down for whatever reason ??

Seems a shame to cause fairly substatial damage to a sycamore for the sake of a bowl or two.

There are one or two folk on the forum who work in forestry day in day out, you could probably get yourself a burl or two if you ask them.

Normally I would agree with this philosophy, however, sycamore is an introduced tree (By the Romans I believe) and to be frank it has the status of a weed, certainly in my neck of the woods where it restricts the growth of indigenous trees, cut it back to its roots and it will regrow .

Do what you want to it, as far as I am concerned, bugger will grow back anyway.

 

[brancho]

How does cutting this off differ from limbing a tree

 

[SOAR]

In tree surgery limbs are removed with the technique called natural target pruning, this involves cutting the limb as not to cut into the branch collar or the branch bark ridge, cutting into either of these will damage the tissue of the main stem, looking at your photo there isnt much in the way of either, so if you were to remove it you wouldnt end up with much of a burl. It would be best to leave it alone really so as not to damage the tree, best head off to the woods and look for fallen birch as they grow in abundance on these trees.

 

[QDanT]

I thought posts 1 & 2 in this thread were very helpful to any one wanting to have a go http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50271 with really detailed instructions from Eric
but not with this thread apart from Gailainne it was either just get on with it without knowing what you're doing or don't do it at all.I've decided to not bother, not because it's cutting a live tree but that I don't know anything about carving, or indeed have any tools maybe a couple of chisels and a gouge. a Nimberwell stove is now tempting and here I know how to work the materials and have a shed geared up pictures if wanted ? to follow
cheers for all the replies Danny

 

[Shewie]

I'm having a crack at a large nimblewell over winter too Danny, it'll be useful to see your pics as they progress. Probably at a much faster rate than mine

 

[robin wood]

I thought posts 1 & 2 in this thread were very helpful to any one wanting to have a go http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50271 with really detailed instructions from Eric
but not with this thread apart from Gailainne it was either just get on with it without knowing what you're doing or don't do it at all.I've decided to not bother, not because it's cutting a live tree but that I don't know anything about carving, or indeed have any tools maybe a couple of chisels and a gouge. a Nimberwell stove is now tempting and here I know how to work the materials and have a shed geared up pictures if wanted ? to follow
cheers for all the replies Danny

Well to be fair you didn't ask for a tutorial on how to carve a kuksa from the burl you asked

Is it a Burl ?
As above not really
can it be carved ?
yes
I'm thinking small bowl , Kuska ,is it worth carving ?
Maybe, it will be more difficult than straight grained wood to carve and have a slightly more interesting grain patern but not as interesting as real burr wood.
carve wet or allow to dry ?
carve wet
paint the tree after cut or char with blowlamp or leave to heal by itself ?
I think this again was well answered above.
Incidental sycamore is often said to have been brought by the Romans but it is not in the pollen record and it is well recorded as a recent introduction in herbals of the 16th century where it is recorded as a garden plant.

 

[QDanT]

Thanks for that Robin I think I'll stick to metal craft perhaps in the future I can swop a Nimberwell stove with someone who has a feel for wood but is kack handed with metal
cheers Danny