# Cutting box elder burl



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Was wondering if anyone could tell me if I cut a burl from a live tree will that tree die?


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Dominick said:


> Was wondering if anyone could tell me if I cut a burl from a live tree will that tree die?


Not speaking from experience because I've never revisited a tree I de-burled - and I've only done that a few times. Only once was it worth the effort once I sliced it open. 

My guess is that it depends on how large of a chunk you take out, where it is located, if the tree is already compromised (and it is or it wouldn't be growing burls), how the open wound is oriented, among other factors. Got a pic? 




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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

TexasTimbers said:


> Not speaking from experience because I've never revisited a tree I de-burled - and I've only done that a few times. Only once was it worth the effort once I sliced it open.
> 
> My guess is that it depends on how large of a chunk you take out, where it is located, if the tree is already compromised (and it is or it wouldn't be growing burls), how the open wound is oriented, among other factors. Got a pic?
> 
> .


Hey T T here's a pic of what I got the tree is Pretty big the burl is kind of by the crotch, and on the other side it's kinda like a burl as well. The tree is dying in some spots. Don't know if I should cut tree down then take tree trunk burl and all to local sawmill and have it milled both burls on it. 



















Close up its about the size of a medicine ball. 









Here's another angle. Hope this helps. Sorry pics are shady.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

If no one objects I would take the whole thing - it's dying anyway and I guarantee some spectacular grain patterns & figure in all that crotch & twisted area. :yes: 

Even with the bark inclusion you'll get plenty of fun wood from that. 




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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Thanks T T I think I'll do that. Not sure when but when I do I'll definatly take photos of process. Thanks for input.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Box Elders here seem to not be healthy, but nipping off that small burl and painting it to protect the tree from exposure shouldn't hurt it. I would be surprised if it had any effect at all.
Then again, as said. Box elders here aren't very healthy, and considered to be junk trees. Not that the wood wouldn't be good. The issue with them is they are brittle growing and drop a lot of branches, and it seems like the leaves get chewed badly. Your probably getting a lot of dead wood falling out of it, if I know from experience in my neighborhood.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

aardvark said:


> Box Elders here seem to not be healthy, but nipping off that small burl and painting it to protect the tree from exposure shouldn't hurt it. I would be surprised if it had any effect at all.
> Then again, as said. Box elders here aren't very healthy, and considered to be junk trees. Not that the wood wouldn't be good. The issue with them is they are brittle growing and drop a lot of branches, and it seems like the leaves get chewed badly. Your probably getting a lot of dead wood falling out of it, if I know from experience in my neighborhood.


Yea I don't know how it would turn out but if its anything like the box elder I saw someone post here before, I would say its worth it. The tree trunk is solid except for a few branches that are dying. The burl doesn't appear to be rotten. Who knows.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Box elders here (and I'm close to you) are generally leaking sap in areas and the bark seems to come off of parts of the trunks. Those have a lot of dead branches. 
I didn't see that happen on yours, but photos were limited. It leads me to believe yours is healthy.
Judging by the size of that trunk, it;s old, but unusually healthy.
I would nip that puppy off with a saw, and paint coat the cut area.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Yea not sure if I should wait and slab it with burl on it or do it separately. Was hoping other who had experience with cutting off live trees to chime in, and what would I coat the fresh cut with? Latex paint or___________.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Tar works.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Like roofing tar?


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Yup.
Main thing is to seal it from elements and bugs.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Ok sound like a plan.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

I wonder how I would dry it


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

It's not that big.
If you bring it inside it should dry in a matter of a month or so. I wouldn't waste money getting it kilned somewhere. 
I did that with chunks of oak burl.(you saw the bookends). They just air dried in the garage on a shelf.
I have a moisture tester when you get to the point of wanting to check it. Just yell, we'll meet up.

Hey. I sanded that hollow today. Clearcoat tomorrow if I can break some time free.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Yea I didn't even think of bringing it in house. Will meet up soon. Can't wait to see table when done.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Make sure no bugs are in it. 
Bugs piss off the wives.

Yeah, I'll contact ya when it's done.


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## txpaulie (Jul 21, 2010)

Get a room!:laughing:

"Wood" love to see that burl turned into something nice.

Keep us (all) posted!:yes:

p


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

txpaulie said:


> Get a room!:laughing:
> 
> "Wood" love to see that burl turned into something nice.
> 
> ...


Get a room :laughing:


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

That burl won't dry in a month, and even if it would dry that fast you would want to do everything possible to slow it down. Unless you can get it in a vacuum kiln burl needs to dry . . . . 

A...S.........S...L...O...W.........A...S.........P...O...S...S...I...B...L...E. 


Seal the whole thing in log sealer if you have it. Just dunk the thing and let the sealer soak into all the cracks and crevices. If you already know what you'll use it for then slice it into pieces if you're going to do that, and seal the individual pieces. 

If you're going to turn a bowl from it, rough turn it *now*. Turn it down to an inch or so and then seal it real good, wrap it in heavy construction paper or several paper bags and stow it in a dark cool place for several months. 


I wouldn't use tar on the tree though. It works great, but kids like to climb trees and well, mom's don't like tar on their kiddos. 





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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Ok thanks T T I'll consider that thanks for the input. Never really worked with burls before, so this is a learning curve. Can I cut it and seal it and air dry like I would with slabs.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Dominick said:


> ... Can I cut it and seal it and air dry like I would with slabs.






TexasTimbers said:


> Seal the whole thing in log sealer ... and stow it in a dark cool place for several months.







....


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Sounds like a plan. I got a lot of dark cool places in the shop.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Or bring it by, and I'll throw it in the mix with the hollows I'm drying.
That is sitting at ~85-95 degrees.
It might be harsh but it'll get er done.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

I haven't cut it yet. Been kind of busy past few days. especially with my snowmobile project. I went and got firewood today and turns out the guy I got firewood has a sawmill, go figure. So we talked a bit he showed me around hi farm and I saw he had a few cherry slabs sitting there and I asked him what he wanted for them he said $5.00. I said ok didn't have to tell me again. Slabs aren't the greatest but not bad for a fin. Great find. He has more there he said just buried in barn. I have to go back tomorrow to pick up the rest of firewood & slabs, I'll take pics.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Dood,
Fill me in via e-mail


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Hey just looked at e-mail and pics look awesome, that going to look nice with glass. It's kinda rustic & modern. Good job.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Tex Timber.
If you seal the whole burl hard with sealer , how does moisture escape, even slowly. This is not like sealing the ends of a board . That would take a very very long time. 
It can be kiln dried, but even that needs a means of escape.

Burl wood's grain is all over the place. That gives it some strength and holding power, but like any wood, it's going to have tendency to do what it wants, which could be crack or not much at all.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

aardvark said:


> Tex Timber.
> If you seal the whole burl hard with sealer , how does moisture escape, even slowly. ...


Log sealer is not 100% air tight, it still allows moisture to pass through. It's engineered that way or else wood could never dry when sealed. If you seal log green in the field within minutes after felling, you would see that often within a few days depending on the species you have to hit it with another coat. 

Burl must be dried very, very slowly or the movement of the outer wood will be much more than the movement of the wood beneath it. The higher the contrast the more damage. Think of a hunk of burl as layers of an onion; if you dry the outermost layer at a significantly higher rate than the layers beneath it, it will shrink and so it will crack and tear apart. 

If you can slow the moisture release enough, the inner layers will be able to sort of "stay with" those further out. The best way to know when it's dry is when the weight has stabilized. Larger burls should be weighed it once a month for several months and then every couple weeks. When you have two readings that are essentially the same then it's reached EMC. 

If you dry it as you propose, the damage will be much worse. There's no way around it other than a vacuum kiln which dries it out so fast the moisture is removed before much damage can be done. 



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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Hey T T what kind of sealer do you recommend. Thanks.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Tex.
Thanks.


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

TexasTimbers said:


> If no one objects I would take the whole thing - it's dying anyway and I guarantee some spectacular grain patterns & figure in all that crotch & twisted area. :yes:
> 
> Even with the bark inclusion you'll get plenty of fun wood from that.
> 
> ...


 as bad as i hate cutting trees down. if its dieing already, take it all and have it sawn.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Yea I plan on doing that. Probably on a a later date. Maybe next year. Been busy at primary job. Besides I've been rebuilding snowmobile so woodworking has been on hold for a bit. But thanks.


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