Author Topic: Walnut Stump and Burl [Sawing and Drying] (Read 2594 times)

333_okh · « **on:** December 16, 2005, 03:26:51 pm »

Well I am new here so I might be asking something that has been covered a thousand times.

I recently had a burl stump from a walnut tree in northern California that needed cut up fast and hauled out before it went to the grinder.

What is the best way to cut up a stump/burl like this? Is was circular in shape. No taller than wide, an no side was sider than the other.

What is the best way, and how long should I dry these slabs? They are between 4-6 inches thick.

Frank_Pender · « **Reply #1 on:** December 16, 2005, 03:35:13 pm »

Welcome to the Forum 333. Whe I have done such to stumps and Walnut burl, I let it air dry. One of the rules of thumb is a year to the inch. I would recommend that you keep them out of the Sun and covered well from a great deal of heat. The slower you begin the initisal drying process the better your wood will be,with my experiences.

333_okh · « **Reply #2 on:** December 16, 2005, 04:27:49 pm »

I have the wood in the back end of a storage barn where no light will actually hit it. The wood is stickered about 3/4 of and inch apart and stacked together. This sounds good then.

I have to cut it in large slabs starting my cut from the top where the stump wand and going down to the root section with each slice, just as you would an onion. Was there a better way of slicing/sawing it?

333_okh · « **Reply #3 on:** December 18, 2005, 02:57:18 am »

No more help? I wonder if ireally ruined that burl dure to how it was cut? I have to cut it fast or it was going in a tub grinder. Wood looked great, but man it dulled the chains on my saws fast!

Frank_Pender · « **Reply #4 on:** December 18, 2005, 08:26:25 am »

I always use a full 1" x 1" sticker for everything I dry. It provides for good air circulation. I would put them no more than 18" apart. You might even consider placing some real heavy weight on the top of the slabes with a 1" spacer between the slabs and weight. I sometiems use large parts of a sidewalk for the wieght, like 500 lbss pieces.

I believe you took the correct action in the direction you made your cuts. Without really seeing the stump and all it is a bit of a challenge in Monday morning quarterbacking.

333_okh · « **Reply #5 on:** December 18, 2005, 02:35:12 pm »

I will tell you I have never cut such wet wood, but I cut it in November and put it straight away into a workshop on the north side of a hay barn. It isnt too dry and there is no sun light on it.

Thi thing dulled my saws to the point where I have to sharpen 2-3 times per slab. The wood, especially the cuts that went straight through the stump is amazing!

Ironwood · « **Reply #6 on:** December 18, 2005, 03:44:20 pm »

WOOD love to see some photos someday. Reid

Den Socling · « **Reply #7 on:** December 18, 2005, 03:51:38 pm »

Welcome to the forum. I hate to greet you with bad news but 4-6" thick figured wood is not likely to work out for you. When you dry wood conventionally, you have to dry the surface more than the underlying wood and hope that water wicks out from the inside. The thicker the wood, the less likely of success. 2" thick can be a challenge. And the twisted grain that makes pretty figure adds a twist to drying. Maybe if it sits a few years........

Hopefully, I'm all wet in my opinion.

333_okh · « **Reply #8 on:** December 18, 2005, 04:08:22 pm »

The plan is 3 years stickered and a final kiln run after that to bring it down to where we need it ~6%. Then we will cut it off templates and plane to size?

Here is a shot of a small outside piece of the wood.

333_okh · « **Reply #9 on:** December 18, 2005, 04:12:02 pm »

Sorry!

This is the wood rough planned. Just testing a couple of peices.
http://s2.excoboard.com/forums/8151/user/150177/251033.jpg

GaS · « **Reply #10 on:** December 18, 2005, 06:12:18 pm »

Quote from: 333_okh on December 18, 2005, 04:12:02 pm

Sorry!

This is the wood rough planned. Just testing a couple of peices.

http://s2.excoboard.com/forums/8151/user/150177/251033.jpg

don't break it!!!

333_okh · « **Reply #11 on:** December 18, 2005, 07:01:39 pm »

Not kowing a lot about walnut burls, is this a typical looking burl? I have about 2000lbs of this stuff wet.

The top of the tree was English, but the portion I cut up appears to be all the Claro root stock. They chipped the tree itself, including where the graft must have been since I have no graft wood section in this wood.

This is the one part of the truck that I was able to saw. It made two slabs 3 inches thick and about 18 inches wide and 3 feet long.

This is a close-up.

What happened to this picture? Tom

Kirk_Allen · « **Reply #12 on:** December 18, 2005, 07:36:59 pm »

That is an awesome looking walnut burl.

Wont do you any good though cuz you need super duper special tools and I just happen to have them. So to avoid lots of work and frustration wize dont you just send that burl my way and I will make sumtin prim and proper with it

333_okh · « **Reply #13 on:** December 18, 2005, 07:40:01 pm »

If you like that peice you should see the one from the center cut. It is 6 inches thick, 4 feet wide and eight feet long. The center has grain like clouds going everywhere, and the entire outer ring looks just like that burl photo I posted. You cannot imagine how much it currently weighs!

Modat22 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 18, 2005, 09:38:16 pm »

you have a treasure there, a very nice treasure.

333_okh · « **Reply #15 on:** December 18, 2005, 09:43:30 pm »

By the way the last cut looks was rougher than it should but your looking at my handy work with a chainsaw. That has not bee planned.

333_okh · « **Reply #16 on:** December 31, 2005, 05:56:39 pm »

NOTE FROM ADMIN: We have rules on posting photos. Photos MUST reside on the forestry forum server and MUST be lest then 30k and less then 400 pixels maximum in their greatest dimension

Photo posting tutorial
http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=12416.0

This is a picture of a peice taken from one of the slabs to see how the wood looked for gunstocks. It is 6.5 inch on the small side, 9.5 inch on the butt side, 4.5 inches thick and 18 inches long. I will actually reduce its thickness to 3 inches later due to a small burl/bark intrusion on the back side.

I hope, I hope, this dries nicely........

Ironwood · « **Reply #17 on:** January 08, 2006, 07:15:28 am »

WWWWWOOOOOOWWWWW. Reid

Dana · « **Reply #18 on:** January 08, 2006, 09:11:01 am »

Nicely figured wood, I don't think I could decide what to make if it was mine!

333_okh · « **Reply #19 on:** January 08, 2006, 11:50:59 am »

NOTE FROM ADMIN: We have rules on posting photos. Photos MUST reside on the forestry forum server and MUST be lest then 30k and less then 400 pixels maximum in their greatest dimension

Photo posting tutorial
http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=12416.0

Top is a different peice from the same stump. The bottom is better pics of the wood from above.

I have a lot of this, but there is a bit of bark intrusion in some places limiting what it can be used for.

333_okh · « **Reply #20 on:** January 29, 2006, 01:00:31 am »

I must say that I cut most of the rest of this wood into gunstock blanks and cannot even imagine the figure in this wood! It is amazing. I will try and get pictures of it soon, but now there is a nice coating of anchorseal on it.

iain · « **Reply #21 on:** February 06, 2006, 04:38:08 am »

Where's all the pictures?

iain

iain · « **Reply #22 on:** February 06, 2006, 04:43:03 am »

Found them,

and dont listen to that Allen guy he'll just rip you off
, and he's got more really nice wood than all of us poor people put together

i'll come and get them as my tools are better, and i want to save you postage

iaion(your only caring friend)

TexasTimbers · « **Reply #23 on:** February 06, 2006, 06:54:19 am »

I wish I could see this stuff but the pics aren't working for me.

iain · « **Reply #24 on:** February 06, 2006, 09:31:13 am »

Kevjay click on his gallery button bottom left, the camera icon

iain

TexasTimbers · « **Reply #25 on:** February 06, 2006, 07:52:34 pm »

Wow! Now that is some purrrrrrrrrrrrrty stuff.

Thanks iain.

333_okh · « **Reply #26 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:34:14 am »

I have been cutting more of this up. I have better wood than those pictures for sure. I will try and take pictures of hte wood left to still be cut. The others are sealed with Anchorseal right now.

iain · « **Reply #27 on:** February 07, 2006, 01:59:38 am »

I'll say it again, don't let that Allan rip you off, he did'nt offer to cover your postage, i'll look after you, even from here

can't wait for the next pics

iain

333_okh · « **Reply #28 on:** February 07, 2006, 04:46:23 pm »

It seems there are a few gunstock wood suppliers lurking around here and another site. They have become very interested in the wood. I will have somewhere between 15-22 pieces when done. I am tempted to leave one of the slabs whole for a table, but it is 5 inches thick and currently about 225 pounds.

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Author Topic: Walnut Stump and Burl [Sawing and Drying] (Read 2594 times)

Kirk_Allen