Could this be worthwhile sawing?

roghair · October 10, 2013, 05:49:05 PM

I'm an inexperienced (hobby) sawyer and reading the giant burled WO post (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,69502.0.html#lastPost) , I thought about this burled robinia (pseudo accacia) on my land. It has only one branch left, but is still alive. It's not a very nice tree, so if there is a chance there is something nice inside I can take it down, what do you think?

kevin19343 · October 10, 2013, 06:03:33 PM

Those burls are a wood turners dream come true.

LeeB · October 10, 2013, 06:07:01 PM

Looks like a mulberry, just going by the bark and form.

Ron Wenrich · October 10, 2013, 07:28:19 PM

Its one of those things that are part of the learning experience. Sometimes it isn't look like its worth sawing, but just to satisfy your curiosity, I'd want to saw it. How much time is it going to take you, and what would you do with that time? Those burls would have my curiosity. I'd spend the time.

Ianab · October 10, 2013, 07:35:50 PM

Yup, I'd have at it too.

It's a lucky dip what you will find inside. But if you get lucky there will be burl and figured wood. Not huge clear boards that we usually look for, but interesting stuff that can be turned or made into things like jewelry boxes or decorative veneer. It doesn't matter if you only end up with short boards for projects like that.

Ian

mesquite buckeye · October 10, 2013, 07:38:35 PM

If the center is solid, black locust is really pretty, hard and as rot resistant as teak. +burls, better. I would consider some book matched live edged slabs if the log is sound. Otherwise, hopefully at least the burls are sound. ;D

WDH · October 10, 2013, 08:48:16 PM

I see some great table tops in that tree.

macpower · October 10, 2013, 09:00:32 PM

Burls, burls, burls! Dangit, I'd want to saw that just so as to see what's in it.

delvis · October 10, 2013, 09:24:36 PM

I would probably see about selling the burls on that tree to a wood turner rather than try and saw it out. The other option may be to saw it into the thick slabs that can be worked into something else later.

drobertson · October 10, 2013, 09:26:31 PM

Yes on both accounts, take it down, systematically section it, you might build a short bed attachment for the shorter sections. Not sure on the actual burl sizes, but some would make nice book matched ends, others might be good for turning. Most definitely worth the time, david

POSTON WIDEHEAD · October 10, 2013, 09:31:01 PM

I keep looking at the figured bark. I'd buck a beautiful log out of it and I believe I would just stand it up in the corner of my living room and put accent lighting on it.

Ya just don't see something like this everyday or maybe in a life time.

Why ruin it by milling it.....but this is just my thoughts. :

Jeff · October 10, 2013, 09:45:08 PM

Not just yours. I love to look at them as a whole too.

mmartone · October 10, 2013, 10:04:36 PM

Keep in mind I dont know much... But seems a bit strange to read on the Forestry Forum in the SAWMILLS and MILLING section someone saying dont saw that log! Like we are in some sort of US gubment upsided down, funhouse mirror world.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · October 10, 2013, 10:19:02 PM

Quote from: mmartone on October 10, 2013, 10:04:36 PM
Keep in mind I dont know much... But seems a bit strange to read on the Forestry Forum in the SAWMILLS and MILLING section someone saying dont saw that log! Like we are in some sort of US gubment upsided down, funhouse mirror world.

Now you are learning. :D Hang around me long enough and you WILL BE in a funhouse mirror world. :D

All I was saying is I have never seen a log/tree that GORGEOUS. I would be willing to bet, half the human race has never seen a log/tree like that.
Once its sawn....its gone. I'm just looking at this tree as a piece of art. I still like it!

mrcaptainbob · October 10, 2013, 10:25:42 PM

There's a commercial hawking the purchase of gold by William Devane. One of those commercials has him standing by a large tree with some giant burls on it. Every time I see it I think which way should it go. Don't cut, slab it, or cut those burls out for turnings.

mrcaptainbob · October 10, 2013, 10:27:11 PM

By the way... can burls be purposely caused?

Jeff · October 10, 2013, 10:29:58 PM

POSTON WIDEHEAD · October 10, 2013, 10:35:23 PM

To saw up the tree above this reply would be a crime. IMO.

drobertson · October 10, 2013, 10:38:21 PM

If you have no plans on sawing lumber or turning stock, let it grow, david

mesquite buckeye · October 10, 2013, 11:03:15 PM

Quote from: mrcaptainbob on October 10, 2013, 10:27:11 PM
By the way... can burls be purposely caused?

The answer is most likely yes, using a patch grafting technique, you should be able to take small pieces of the outer burl and attach them to another tree. Appropriately spaced, I believe it could be commercial. It would require decent grafting skills. Also, probably at least 20 years to get anything of size. The grafting should be onto probably 2-5" pole stands.

Ron Wenrich · October 11, 2013, 05:39:52 AM

We had some on here talking about making burls where there were injuries, namely from bullets. Jim King was going to try that down in the Amazon. I know that he did "inoculate" some trees, but, sadly, Jim is no longer with us. He used to get into some really nice burls. Here's a few:

Here's a thread from a few years ago about growing burls:
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,48533.0.html

downsouth · October 11, 2013, 05:02:38 PM

I agree it's a beautiful tree, but he said it only had 1 branch left on it. So rather than let it die and rot why not get something really nice out of it , so it can be remembered as an awsome and unique tree.
Just my 2 cents

Texas Ranger · October 11, 2013, 05:15:45 PM

I once read an article on here where shooting a cherry laural, or a cherry, would start burls. Don't know.

Jim_Rogers · October 11, 2013, 05:33:55 PM

Many many years ago, my friend called me up one morning all frantic. He needed a ride and the town taxi was busy so he asked me if I could give him a ride.

I said sure, where to you have to go?

He said, district court.

So I drove over there and picked him up and drove him to the courthouse. I went in and sat with him in the court room.

On the wall behind the judges chair was this huge wood paneling.
But it wasn't the normal wood paneling that you would normally see.
It was a huge burl that had be sliced very thin to make veneer pieces.

The woodworker had taken these slices and had book matched them left and right from a center line of the panel.
And as well as book matching them left and right he mirrored them up and down.
When he placed them on the backer board that held them in place he didn't place them exactly straight up and down. He put them on a slight angle.
Like this:

It was really something very nice and he did a great job.

Here I am sitting in a court room, my buddy is getting the book thrown at him and I'll sitting there admiring the woodwork.......

It appeared to be a very large oak burl. It could have been four feet or more from the horizontal line up to the top. And there were at least four or five pieces on either side of the vertical center line. It was a very large and unique panel for sure.

Almost all the woodwork in that courtroom was red oak.

Jim Rogers

roghair · October 11, 2013, 06:20:37 PM

Thanks for all the replies; I wasn't aware this could be so special. I agree with POSTON as well, the trunk as it is is already beautiful, but as a tree the shape is not good with one branch. As Downsouth said it might die and rot.
Before I take it down I will investigate who wants some of it for woodturning, and decide how to saw it for what purpose; 1" or 2" slabs (I have no idea what to do)
David, what do you mean by 'systimatically section it'
If I want to keep the burls, do I first completely saw them off?