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What should I do with my burl?

I acquired a burl about the size and shape of half a basketball. I believe it to be oak but only the stump remained when I cut it. I initially believed that the tree was felled 5 or so years ago but have come to find out that it was much less. The burl is still wet. I coated the cut end with beeswax and stored it in my basement. I am a beginner with turning and have only made pens. I don't have a chuck for my lathe. Just a #1MT. Seems like a bit much to make pens with. I have the innards for a pepper grinder so that would be good. I don't feel like I should "try" a bowl as my first will probably be poor and a waste of a burl. What else could I do with it? It doesn't need to be a lathe project.

Reply to
sbnjhfty
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If I were a beginner and had a burl that size I would store it for as long as it took for me to feel confident that I would be able to do it justice. It should be fine setting out of the weather stored inside somewhere, for years if need be.

Or you could send it to me :)

Ted J thelatentlog.com

Reply to
Ted

Yeah but don't you guys rough out you bowls wet?

Reply to
sbnjhfty

That depends...

When I want to turn most regular salad type bowls from domestic trees I will turn the wood to about 10% of the diameter of the bowl, then wax and store for at least several months. That way they will dry faster and have a better chance of not cracking.

If I am turning a hollow vessel or a natural edged bowl I sometimes turn them to their final thickness right away, sand as much as I can and then brown bag them to slow down the drying a bit so they have a better chance of not cracking. Then I finish sanding them later.

There are times when I get too many logs and don't have the time to turn them right away so I have to either cover the ends of the logs with wood chips and keep them out of the direct sun until I can get to them or I will cut the logs into bowl blocks, wax the ends and store them on shelves in my barn.

I treat burls a bit different. Most of the burls that I get are already dried. I usually purchase them from another supplier. In my experience, most of the time burls do not have the same problems with cracking as regular logs. There is no center/pith to shrink and a burls grain goes in all different directions. If the burl is waxed then it will most likely be fine setting out of the sun in a nice cool spot. I have several in my workshop right now. They are dry and waiting until I can find time to turn them.

Hope this helps, Ted J. thelatentlog.com

Reply to
Ted

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