Kevin Koski

[#1]

How about this for a burl?  It was growing 25' off of the ground on a 6" diameter ash tree. The burl is about 24" long and 22" across, and weighs about 150lbs.  Appears to be solid, but who knows?  Maybe when we cut it this week it will look like it was touched by God, or maybe it will look like snot.  Check back.  If all goes well my Amish friend will cut it for me on his bandmill this week, and we will post some picts of any/all blocks we get out of it.

 We will also be cutting some curly maple logs this week as well.  I hope to get a blog on that too.  This blog we will look at how we can SOMETIMES identify figure not only in a log, but in a standing tree as well.

Thanks for reading

Kevin Koski

Dry kiln operator

Owner Operator

www.curlymaplewood.com

[#2]

Kevin, I'm looking forward to your blog on the cutting this up and what the grain looks like. I hope you take a lot of step-by-step images and a few closeups of the grain. Thanks for sharing. Marlen @ WOOD

[#3]

Kevin, this is going to be cool. Is there a trick to cutting a burl to get the best figure, or is it kind of a crap shoot?

Lucas @ WOOD

[#4]

I'm interested in the cutting technique also.  Not to play one-upsmanship, but I have a monster burl on a 22 inch diameter white spruce log.  I don't have the photo on this computer (laptop, awaiting a delayed flight in Seattle at the moment), but it is bigger than I can put my arms around (I'm 5'7").  It is much more irregular in shape than the one you show.  My plan is to cut the log down the middle of the burl, and if it is solid, finish the surface and use it as support for a glass eating bar on a kitchen island, shaped roughly to mimic the curve of the burl.  If the reality is half as good as my imagination, it will be a real signature piece in my new  log home.

[#5]

I want to see how this goes, cutting it up.  My neighbor has a large burl on one of his madrona trees, and I'm trying to get him to either cut it himself, or let me cut it.  New stuff to me, so this is one I'll be following.