Maple burl

[300 H and H]

Anyone here ever dug up a burl at the top of the root of a tree? The Maple I recently looks very much like it has a burl. It is also a tree speicies that produces them fairly commonly, or so it seems...

How hard of a job is it? I have a back hoe..

They can be worth like $350 per pound here on the net'

Regards, Kirk

 

[jimbo]

You have a root, burls are abnormal growth on the trunk of the tree.
Roots can have beautiful grain, but most loggers won't saw them. Too much dirt and gravel, lots of voids. Roots play hell with cutting equipment.

If it is an above ground burl low on the stump, it might be worth saving. A local turner would be your best bet.

 

[Adillo303]

Ummm yeah. Not excited about roots, but, if you run across a nice burl, or, one of those hard mushroomie thingies, please PM me.

I am a Turner and they are in demand.

 

[JimVT]

some local thieves have fell very large maples and only cut a 8ft section out of the trunk. rumor is that it is sold for guitars but I never heard of any manufacturing place of that kind hear.

 

[Adillo303]

I have never tried making a guitar. Most of the sites that I look at for would do have a separate section for musical instrument wood. I would think that long straight grains are prized. The pith area in the middle is not usable. If that is what they are taking, it can be shipped anywhere.

 

[300 H and H]

You have a root, burls are abnormal growth on the trunk of the tree.
.

I used to think that too. But recently on one of the Discovery channels I say a show about a crew of guys who hunt burls. Most of the big ones they found were at the top of the root ball. Took a big hole and root pruning to get them out.

I will look online for more information about burls I guess...

Regards, Kirk