After about a year and a half of just sitting here looking at the site I finally decided to jump in with a question. I have recently picked up a really nice burl slab that is roughly 14″ wide, 30″ long and about 4″ thick. I really want to cut this down into 4 or 5 thinner slabs but I cant figure out a good way to do this. Obviously it is too big to run thru my band saw so does anyone have any tips I might be able to try? Or ideas for a jig to hold the slab while I handsaw it? Any help would be great as this slab is just sitting collecting dust right now.
Thanks
Jay
Replies
Take it to a cabinet shop or mill (schools or freinds might be options too among others) with a bigger saw.
Thanks for the suggestion, so far my yellowpages searches havent brought me anyluck for someone around me but I'll keep digging.
Jay
If you're having trouble finding a local sawyer, here are a couple options:http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/pb/wp_a9976cb4/wp_a9976cb4.html
[Has links to help find someone local]OR go to craislist for your area and type "sawmill" into the search feature. Yes, you will probably get some listings for those selling sawmills, but in and amongst, you should find a local outfit either looking for trees or selling lumber.
"OR go to craislist for your area and type 'sawmill' into the search feature."
That doesn't work so well around here, given that "Sawmill" is the name of a major road in Columbus...
-Steve
Thats a great resource, thank you for the link! I've got 2 options from there so I'll let you all know how it turns out.
Jay
Jay,
Any thoughts as to what you hope to make with the burl? This might be helpful in terms of making recommendations. Any pic(s) of the burl?
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
I bought the burl with a very specific purpose in mind. I grow bonsai trees and have been making custom display tables for them for the last 2 years. Some of the formal displays in Japan have trees displayed on very thin slabs and rather than pay the high price for these i decided to buy some burl and have a go at it. I'm not sure how the picture will come out but here it is.
I've had my sawyer saw some for me but I had to cobble together a sled which took a bit of time. His min. between the hold down dogs on his mill is 5' so I made the sled out of 2x4's. These burls had short sections of tree trunk on them which made it a bit easier.
I simply made a bunch of triangular shaped wedges out of 2 by material and doweled the tree trunk sections to the wedges and then doweled the wedges to the 2x4's. Sawyers have a thing against steel in trees............
I've only dealt with sherry and birch burls so far. Not sure what kind of wood yours is but these were hard, doubtful that anyone would/could have driven a nail in very far anyway.
Some of these were found in the woods, the results of someones attempt to cut them, and then decided to cut around them and leave them there. The butt ends were cleanly cut so I don't think the chain was dull.................
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
You might check for local sawyers who can handle a piece that small. They are usually a pretty good bunch of guys willingto do things like that.
Chris
A 14" width isn't all that wide, and you're in a major metro area. You might want to start a thread with a title such as "Resaw help needed in Chicago" and see if a member in your neck of the woods might reply. If it doesn't work here, LMK if you want to try a different forum.
DJ:
This looks to me like a good excuse to make yourself a frame saw. Here is a link to a website with instructions on how to make and use a frame saw for resawing. The only thing I would add to what you will read on the link is that I would use a wider blade than the one pictured for the same reason you use a wider blade in a bandsaw when resawing.
http://www.hyperkitten.com/woodworking/frame_saw.php3
gdblake
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