How far would you travel for this burl?

[Lou Jacobs]

A classmate of mine from forestry school has given me wood from his upstate New York wood lot in the past, but always when we’ve met at class reunions in the Adirondacks. He just excitedly told me about this burl on a sugar maple in a neighbor’s woods that he is being offered. Unfortunately neither of us plans to attend this year’s reunion in August. The good news is that he and his family are traveling to Cape May, NJ which is about a 3 hour drive for me. At first I told him to leave the burl on the tree til next year when we’d both be going. But he says the tree is 90% dead and the tree should come down. I told him I could use a day at the beach, so if he cuts it off and it looks good, I’m up for it. I don’t have much experience with burls, but this looks promising to me.

 

[Steve Saah]

But I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand
Miles to fall down at your door

 

[Brian Gustin]

I wouldn't even travel for that burl - Burls can be real crapshoots some may give gorgeous results when turned, and others may just be more trouble than they are worth. I was given a maple burl of that size (Free, an arborist friend dropped it off on his way through town) and managed to get one decent bowl out of it (after many many wasted hours filling & sealing hundreds of small bark inclusions) and a bunch of "meh" stuff. after that experience I determined I would *never* buy a burl for any price, no matter how big or small. (including travel time as part of the cost)

 

[Earl McLain]

Much as i like burls, i'd drive farther and longer to have a lunch or pie & coffee with a good friend. Make the trip for fellowship, and the burl may be a bonus.

 

[Lou Jacobs]

Make the trip for fellowship, and the burl may be a bonus

Well said Earl! I believe that’s how I’ll look at it if the pictures show any promise.

 

[robo hippy]

That burl looks like some thing I saw years back where some guys cut down a massive Oregon white oak for the burls. I think they were actually "galls" which is another type of odd growth on trees, and there were lots of voids in them, making them worthless to the guys who cut the tree down. I have one split off chunk of black locust burl that I keep handy for "the anatomy of a burl". They extend way down into the tree, almost to the pith. That one may or may not be a burl. Only one way to find out. Depending on what kind of tree it is, it might be worth the trip.

robo hippy

 

[Lou Jacobs]

Depending on what kind of tree it is, it might be worth the trip.

It’s a sugar maple (Acer saccharum). He’s going to cut it off and show me the cut surface(s) before we make plans for next steps, if any.

 

[hughie]

I guess it depends on how much you value the burl. The cut end should give you a good idea of how good it could be

 

[Lou Jacobs]

I guess it depends on how much you value the burl.

The truth is, if it were just a burl, I wouldn’t be interested in traveling for it. But the friend is special, and we shared an amazing year together (50 years ago!). I’d love to make something from it that will possibly be represented in any piece that could come from it. Ideally at least two pieces from it. One for him and one for me.

 

[hughie]

The truth is, if it were just a burl, I wouldn’t be interested in traveling for it. But the friend is special, and we shared an amazing year together (50 years ago!). I’d love to make something from it that will possibly be represented in any piece that could come from it. Ideally at least two pieces from it. One for him and one for me.

Now that makes all the difference, you gotta go.

 

[John K Jordan]

Now that makes all the difference, you gotta go.

I agree. Making something for the sentimental value is worth an extra effort.