Cutting a large Burl

[Brian Horais]

My brother-in-law cut down some trees in his yard and saved a large burl I have been 'lusting' after. Diameter and length of the burl section are about 2 feet. I think it is oak. I would like to know if any of you have suggestions for cutting this burl up into sections I can later use for turning. I've watched some online YouTube videos and have purchased a new chain for my Stihl 20" chainsaw. It should be a challenge but I'm looking forward to 'harvesting' this burl. My can of Anchor Seal standing by. Thanks for any comments and suggestions you may have.

 

[hockenbery]

My first step is to think about what I want to make then figure out where the cut lines are and then the order to cut that leaves the most usable scraps. I usually think one large piece with a regular wood bottom.

i do hollowforms so the topography of burl will show what I can do.

i marked on the photo what May or may not work need to see the actual,piece
the opening i markEd has a higher spot to the left which can be shaped into pitcher lip
the indentation in the middle can be a big void in one side- May be too big for comfort…

anyway that would be my though process. The leftovers Maybe a small hf, ornament balls
pen blanks. Boxes.

 

[Brian Horais]

Thanks Hock! great advice

Brian

 

[Michael Nathal]

I want to mention I have had more than one example with burls where the interface between normal wood and burl wood suffered from excessive warping and/or cracking. On an oak burl, the warping was so bad that I could not twice-turn the bowl.

 

[Brian Horais]

Great advice Michael. I'll certainly keep that in mind when I start turning some of the burl pieces.

 

[Lars Hansen]

I want to mention I have had more than one example with burls where the interface between normal wood and burl wood suffered from excessive warping and/or cracking. On an oak burl, the warping was so bad that I could not twice-turn the bowl.

Burls sometimes act in strange ways. I rough turned two halves of the same Ash burl and let them dry for almost two years. One hardly moved at all. The other one also behaved nicely, but a month after turning and finishing, it had taken a strange looking, square-ish shape.

 

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

Sprague woodturning has a very good U-Tube video on cutting up burls.

 

[Brian Horais]

Thanks Paul! Those are some excellent videos

 

[Chris Lawrence]

How ever you cut it up make sure to save all the little pieces you cut off. You can easily make them into usable blanks with a little bit of resin.