How should I use this burl?

[Raif Harik]

Hi, I have this nice big piece of mesquite burl. I've had it for some time and part of the reason I haven't used it is I can't figure out how to cut it up to get the "most" out of it, both quantitatively and aesthetically. I have 24/36 lathe so I can turn a pretty big piece. I like turning bowls of course but I also like end grain vases. Or whatever else I'm suggested. You can see, ,maybe, that the "B" side has some rot to it but it doesn't go very deep I don't think.
Any suggestions on how to cut this up would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Raif

 

[Brian Gustin]

Me, with all the rot and bug holes, I would just start cutting into it and see if there was anything salvageable before tossing it on firewood pile - Burls can have some nice grain and make some beautiful pieces, but half the time they are more trouble than they are worth unless you want to get into things like wood stabilizing, epoxy resins, and etc. Really can't tell what is in a burl until you cut into it so I'd probably start slicing it lengthwise through that animal's nest hole.

 

[Richard Coers]

I don't think that will be a highly figured burl, if it is a burl. That long line of rot indicates a lightning strike, and the bulge could just be a wound repair. You will probably find the only sound wood will be a couple inches deep around the outside and then rot.

 

[hockenbery]

My fist thought was NE bowl
Contours like this. . produce terrific rims on natural edge bowls
I don’t think this piece will have the structural integrity for an NE bowl.

 

[Steve Nix]

This is what the end grain will look like. My be distorted some due to the void area. Don’t burn it

 

[robo hippy]

Well, I would cut off the ends and see if there is any cracking or rot. Next cut for me would be down the center of that depression that Al marked out, and then see what it looks like. May just be firewood or could be beauty. A NE bowl like Al suggested could be really nice, and you would probably be turning out all the pith with a bowl in that orientation.

robo hippy