Hickory burl - UPDATE with pics!

[RPowers]

I sawed a hickory log today that didn't look all that spectacular from the outside, but once I took off the first slab I changed my cutting intentions for that log. It was a solid burl for about 3" around the outside of the log the whole way up. so rather than make some thin siding stock out of the whole thing I cut some 2.5 turning stock, 5/4 and 4/4 off the outside. This I tried to take a picture but my stupid phone's camera died yesterday and I cant get it to work. I will add a  few pics once I get the camera working.

My question is this, has anyone seen hickory burl like this? I have a couple other trees that have a "goofy" look to the bark and suspect they may have the same virus or whatever that causes this. It looks just like a picture of a nice maple burl, like it is boiling or something in the wood, plus it looks like some areas are a little curly as well, and it is that nice white hickory color. I couldn't find anything like this online anywhere so I am thinking of saving it for myself, or maybe $$$elling it....

* Update - Finally got a working camera and snapped a couple pictures to show the grain. Maybe this isn't a burl, maybe it is something else. I don't know but it is weird and pretty grain. I hit it with a sharp jack plane and then some water to show the figure and color more like with fresh sawn .



  

  

 

[qbilder]

I have cut some hickory burl. It's quite rare in the market, not as rare in the woods. Beautiful stuff that looks like rocky road ice cream  :D Doesn't dry well, but what survives should bring you a penny or two. The most common burl it gets is what you describe, a funky growth pattern on the shell, but typical growth inside. I see it more often in red oak & soft maple, but I suppose it can happen with any tree. Post pics when you can. No doubt it's stunning stuff!

[RPowers]

I will get pics as soon as possible to yall, I hate a post with no pics as much as anyone! It is really neat looking material, I think once I get a working camera (the repair place confirmed my phone's is shot and a new camera didnt fix the issue) I will plane the surface and rub it with alcohol to get a really nice shot and post on here.

Seeing as you are the  burl master on here, what would your estimation of value be of 6/4 stock per bdft? I don't even know where to start should I decide to sell some.

RP

[gfadvm]

Be careful planing that burl. I tried to plane a walnut burl with my Woodmaster (newly sharpened blades) and it sounded like a hand grenade went off in the planer when that burl came apart! Now, I stick with the drum sander.

[qbilder]

I will get pics as soon as possible to yall, I hate a post with no pics as much as anyone! It is really neat looking material, I think once I get a working camera (the repair place confirmed my phone's is shot and a new camera didnt fix the issue) I will plane the surface and rub it with alcohol to get a really nice shot and post on here.

Seeing as you are the  burl master on here, what would your estimation of value be of 6/4 stock per bdft? I don't even know where to start should I decide to sell some.

RP

I'm going to be honest, your chances are incredibly low. In all likeliness, the wood will tear itself apart as it dries. If you want to end up with 6/4, then start with 8/4. You'll need at least that much room to trim up in order to get straight blanks.....if you're lucky enough that the wood isn't cracked too badly to even mess with. That's the hard reality, so prepare yourself for it & don't get your hopes up. Burl is difficult to process. Hickory is difficult to process. Hickory burl is doubly difficult. It's no more rare than any other burl, as far as burls on trees go. But it is extremely rare in the market, mostly because of it's insane defect tendency as it dries. 

Now for the better news, if the wood survives drying, you may have something of incredible value. Of course there are conditions. The wood must be extremely figured all sides and entire length, good color(s) with obvious contrast, dry under 10%mc, free of cracks, 12" long or more, and minimum 1.375"sq. If you end up with something like that, then you expect prices in the neighborhood of $10/linear inch for turning squares. A 1.5" x 1.5" x 15" piece would get you possibly $150. If you can get 1.5" x 1.5" x 18"+ pieces that fit the above criteria, then value could be even higher. Keep in mind that's for excellent pieces with no defects and incredible figure.

The flip/flop of this is more bad news, though. There's very little grey area. Either it's good stuff or it's not. If it's got defects or the figure isn't good, or isn't entirely figured, then value drops dramatically. It's very much black & white. Either it's gold or it's dirt. You can still sell small pieces to pen turners, maybe a chunk of it to a bowl turner, but not for anything that makes it much worth your time.

In a nut shell, prepare for not getting anything, because that's probably what you'll end up with. However, if you do get the good stuff that fits the criteria I listed, then let me know & I can put you in touch with some heavyweight buyers. I know one guy who will likely buy as much as you can provide, given that it's the quality I described. If he leaves you with anything left, I know several others who will clean the carcass. These guys want it dry, ready to work. If you have it, they'll buy.   

         

[qbilder]

 The second cue from top is an example of prime hickory burl. A 1.5"sq x 18"long turning piece like that would easily get you $150-$200.



 


 


The second cue from top in these pics is also hickory burl, but not what would be considered prime. A piece of this would get maybe $25-$50.


 


 

[RPowers]

Thanks so much for the information. Sounds like I'll have fun watching it dry and hoping something is left, . At least I will know if I hit any in the future to cut thick and dry slow, then resaw later. As I said, pics to come. Mine is much more white than the one you posted, almost like a hickory version of birdseye (which maybe it is close to) with some swirl. Hard to explain

RP

[Ocklawahaboy]

Starting with the $150-$200 for the hickory blank, I'm extrapolating out the potential cost of those cues to be in the thousands.  They really are works of art.

[mesquite buckeye]

I got a hickory tree that had figure that looked like bee's wings. It did move around a LOT.

[RPowers]

finally got pics up for yall

[beenthere]

Not seeing them in your post... or are they in an earlier post ?

[kderby]

What a rare gift to recognize and mill a tree like that.  This is your brush with the "Big Time."  Enjoy it and Congratulations.

[Magicman]

finally got pics up for yall

I found the pictures in your Gallery, but not posted so they are not "up" yet.  :-\

[qbilder]

Starting with the $150-$200 for the hickory blank, I'm extrapolating out the potential cost of those cues to be in the thousands.  They really are works of art.

Yes that's correct. The "big buyers" I was referring to in an earlier post produce cues that are not uncommon in the tens of thousands of dollars. I have yet to create anything that extravagant, but i'm getting better Thank you for the compliment!

[qbilder]

finally got pics up for yall

That is some really interesting stuff. I see what you mean by birdseye version of pecan. It's not the typical figure I see in hickory. In fact, I don't think it's really burl at all, but indeed birdseye. Not the way maple gets it, but more like insect infestation. Search up massur birch & compare it with your hickory. The similarity is uncanny with the heavy eye pattern, and eyes being dark. The really good thing is that it's not burl grain, so it won't behave as a burl does while drying. You may just get a good percentage of marketable stuff! True burl has grain going every direction, so within any given inch, you have face grain, edge grain, and end grain all swirled together. That's why it dries so terribly. What you have is much more predictable and typical of straight grain lumber, except with spectacular aesthetics. I can't say for sure it will bring burl prices, but if not it'll be real close.

Would you be so kind as to email the pics to me? Don't resize them. Leave them big. I can forward to some folks who will be quite interested in seeing it. I have never seen hickory like that, so I can't say for certain what it will be worth, but I can clearly see it's some special stuff. Here's to hoping it dries a settles with minimal defect and leaves you at least 1-3/8" thickness.

[qbilder]

I got a hickory tree that had figure that looked like bee's wings. It did move around a LOT.

I got some of that stuff. Thank you mucho  I cut the board into squares & they stayed put, behaved quite well. Haven't turned any yet, but don't foresee any issues.

On another note, I'm still getting a coalition of buyers together for the gum. I didn't get a chance to get to Tucson before leaving Alamo. I made an offer on a house in TN and 8 hours later somebody made an offer on my house in Alamo, so things got real busy real quick for me with the move.   

[qbilder]

I got a hickory tree that had figure that looked like bee's wings. It did move around a LOT.

I got some of that stuff. Thank you mucho  I cut the board into squares & they stayed put, behaved quite well. Haven't turned any yet, but don't foresee any issues.

On another note, I'm still getting a coalition of buyers together for the gum. One of the guys lives right there in Apache Junction. I didn't get a chance to get to Tucson before leaving Alamo. I made an offer on a house in TN and 8 hours later somebody made an offer on my house in Alamo, so things got real busy real quick for me with the move.   

[Roxie]

Good job with the pictures!  That sure is pretty!   8)

[RPowers]

finally got pics up for yall

I found the pictures in your Gallery, but not posted so they are not "up" yet.  :-\

Did they not post to the thread??? I uploaded to my gallery and then inserted into my initial post so they would be at the top and easy to find. I did a preview before posting and all looked proper. They have showed up for me in the bottom of my initial post every time.

[RPowers]

Would you be so kind as to email the pics to me? Don't resize them. Leave them big. I can forward to some folks who will be quite interested in seeing it. I have never seen hickory like that, so I can't say for certain what it will be worth, but I can clearly see it's some special stuff. Here's to hoping it dries a settles with minimal defect and leaves you at least 1-3/8" thickness.

Sure thing, I will get those right to you. I have a couple other trees on the property that seem to have a similar bark pattern, One of them is where I intend to build a pond and the other is near my future log storage area so both will be coming down. I will be watching the grain before sawing. I stopped once I saw that in the log and took a cookie off the end so that I could see the difference in the end grain. It is very distinct from standard hickory end grain so I can ID it before sawing the log up now.

[RPowers]

@qbuilder

I couldn't find your email. If you could PM your address to me I will send those pictures.

[qbilder]

I just PM'd you my email. Like I said, I will send the pics out & see if anybody wants some. If so, I'll pass on the contact info. Good luck! Hopefully you get it dry & in good shape.

[beenthere]

And note that the FF is due the 5%   as they say, when in Rome...

[qbilder]

And note that the FF is due the 5%   as they say, when in Rome...

:D I'm not even getting that

[RPowers]

Noted, beenthere.

more pics showing the grain across the face compared to the side of the same piece, and the end grain.

Face of board, use the large bark inclusion to orient this to the next picture


  

 

Side of same piece



End grain showing the regular grain vs the burly odd stuff.



  

Thanks all!