What to do with a Walnut Burl – need adv
user-256638
| Posted in Wood and Materials on
I have inherited a walnut burl that has been sitting in a barn for at least since 1975. the burl is about 24-28 inches in diameter and cut from a tree about 8 inches in Dia.
My biggest question is – what should I do with it. I have a chain saw and a 16″ Jet band saw with slicer baldes. I would like to get some pistol grip blanks. Some thinner lumber to make some small boxes. And of course I think some veneer would be in order.
How should I preceed with cutting it?
Where to start?
How to start?
Should I deal with someone who knows what to do??
I’ve seen some walnut burl turning blanks for hundreds of dollars and dont want to screw it up.
What should I do????
Replies
I've sliced up cherry (my favorite), birch, maple and spruce burls; but never had the pleasure of walnut. Burls are kinda like a box of chocolates; ye never know...... That's what I like about them.
For me cherry looks best when it's sliced as if it were still in the standing tree, top to bottom. I think it shows the grain better than if you sawed it lengthwise. Not sure about other species.
Here's the inside of one. It has many defects like bark inclusions which I find attractive so haven't really decided what I'll do with it. I doubt it would make good veneer. I made a sled out of the 2" styrofoam and excavated it so the live edge sat in the hole for running it through the drum sander - worked very well.
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Here's the outside, which I'm not sure which side I like better. This burl was just a bit smaller than yours.
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These were taken after a lot of bark removal. Tedious work but rewarding nevertheless.
Here we are sawing up some maple and cherry. Had to get the big guns out for these. I tried sawing it horizontally this time and wasn't pleased with the results of either one so will stick to top to bottom from now on.
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Sorry I couldn't be of more help to you but at least wanted to relay my experiences with burls. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chime in.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Charlie"
I have some walnut burl,too. Like yours, mine has lots of holes. Seems in the trade they call that birds-eye burl. So far I have put one of mine through the band saw, flat side down (the flat side is where the chain saw took the burl off the log. the wood, voids and all, hangs together rather than disintegrating. I made my slices about 3/8ths thick and flattened them on the belt sander. Quite lovely. I am going to inset two slices -- book-match style -- into the top of a box I will make later this year. I'll leave the voids open like pierce work. If I were to do pistol or knife grips, I'd fill the voids with dark epoxy and polish it out with the wood.
Joe
Sell it to me!
Chris
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