For the love of burl

[D.S Thomson]

This is a lousy picture...( should I post full image ??). I am enjoying using burls lately. So much so I'm thinking of going with burl all the time. This one is Wild Almond. I do find that it grabs a bit...sometimes tears a bit, which I am sure is poor technique on my part..( Note the stand spindle is too thin.) And, the types I have use pit sometimes..you can see a pit in this handle...I filled it with medium CA...overall though, the result I get is more "eye popping" than straight grain. Any thoughts or suggestions...still learning.

Dave

 

[D.S Thomson]

This maple set had tears and cuts outs as well..another fill job with CA on the handle...it still looks good I think, but I suspect a lot of guys reading this don't have similar problems ?

 

[BigD]

Okay, those are just nice.

 

[Lightcs1776]

Absolutely beautiful! Very, very nice.

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[Suhrim21]

Gorgeous

 

[MntnMan62]

Beautiful.

 

[BigJ]

LOVELY!!

 

[ajkel64]

Very nice, great job.

 

[D.S Thomson]

Thanks you guys....I am happy with the results....but,
I just turned a cocobolo..not a burl..and it was smooth, easy, no issue. No grabbing and tears and stuff.

Does anybody know if burls can get too dry ? I cut my blanks as soon as I get the material.
I have seen some of them have a wax coating on the ends, and I have been wondering if
I should wait until I'm actually ready to work with them if drying out is an issue.

thanks

dave

 

[Lightcs1776]

Thanks you guys....I am happy with the results....but,
I just turned a cocobolo..not a burl..and it was smooth, easy, no issue. No grabbing and tears and stuff.

Does anybody know if burls can get too dry ? I cut my blanks as soon as I get the material.
I have seen some of them have a wax coating on the ends, and I have been wondering if
I should wait until I'm actually ready to work with them if drying out is an issue.

thanks

dave

Cocobolo is some great wood. Hard and beautiful. I would love to see the results.

As far as wood being too dry, I have had some softer wood, such as soft maple, that was easier to turn when wet than when very dry.

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[D.S Thomson]

OK thanks...some of the maple burl I get is drier than popcorn...I will have to be more selective maybe.

Here is the last cocobolo...sorry about the photo...

The one in the shop right now is a piece of cocobolo that is at least 50 years old. It was in my Dads shop when I was a little kid, and he never did get around to using it.. I inherited it along with all his tools...( which has led to me to making shaving sets )...It is not as colourful as this, but is it nice to work with..I will post when complete.

cheers

dave

 

[FarmerTan]

You have done excellent work. From what little I know, burl is very difficult to turn without tear outs. These are really well done!

 

[Graydog]

Just curious e are you selling these sets ?

 

[Lightcs1776]

OK thanks...some of the maple burl I get is drier than popcorn...I will have to be more selective maybe.

Here is the last cocobolo...sorry about the photo...

The one in the shop right now is a piece of cocobolo that is at least 50 years old. It was in my Dads shop when I was a little kid, and he never did get around to using it.. I inherited it along with all his tools...( which has led to me to making shaving sets )...It is not as colourful as this, but is it nice to work with..I will post when complete.

cheers

dave

View attachment 1014106

Wow, that is really fantastic! A. Gorgeous brush.

Personally, I am not too selective. If I have an issue when turning, it goes to the fire pit. I currently have about a dozen rough turned bowls from a soft maple (box elder) that is difficult to turn due to tear out. At least a couple will still make nice Christmas bowls for neighbors. A couple others were finished and are in use around the house. They look really nice, in my opinion. However, if I don't get to the rest of the rough turned bowls, they will warm me at the fire pit as well. It doesn't hurt to try, since I didn't pay for the wood, other than providing the person generous enough to give me the wood a finished bowl.

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[FarmerTan]

Wow, that is really fantastic! A. Gorgeous brush.

Personally, I am not too selective. If I have an issue when turning, it goes to the fire pit. I currently have about a dozen rough turned bowls from a soft maple (box elder) that is difficult to turn due to tear out. At least a couple will still make nice Christmas bowls for neighbors. A couple others were finished and are in use around the house. They look really nice, in my opinion. However, if I don't get to the rest of the rough turned bowls, they will warm me at the fire pit as well. It doesn't hurt to try, since I didn't pay for the wood, other than providing the person generous enough to give me the wood a finished bowl.

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Does your box elder have red in it? That can be a beautiful wood. I've heated the house with that stuff a lot of times!

 

[Lightcs1776]

Does your box elder have red in it? That can be a beautiful wood. I've heated the house with that stuff a lot of times!

Yeah, it has some great red streaks.

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[FarmerTan]

Nice work my friend!

 

[CigarSmoka]

Those are beautiful! Very nice finish as well.

If you plan on turning a lot of burls I suggest getting a vacuum pump, chamber, and toaster oven so you can stabilize them first. It eliminates the tearout you’re experiencing - which is common with burls - so they will sand easier/faster/better when prepping them for a finish. It’s a nice setup to have for spalted wood too (which I love almost as much as burls), and also for stabilizing pine cones, sweet gum pods, or any other organic material before casting in resin. For some burls it’s a necessity. I have some pyinma burl blanks that are gorgeous but impossible to turn without stabilizing first, and the redwood burl I’ve turned is very difficult even after it’s been stabilized.

 

[Graydog]

Yeah, it has some great red streaks.

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Very nice Chris

 

[Lightcs1776]

Very nice Chris

Thank you, Sir. I am just an amateur in the midst of a bunch of great turners.

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