# A Swing and a Miss?



## justallan

I've been trying to get this tree for a while now and finally did. Got it on the ground, went to get the truck and a choker and found a flat tire, changed tires and got the tree drug onto the road then loaded it and went home.


 
Threw it on the mill and this is what I ended up with.
Question is, do you seal it in hopes that someone likes it one day, using up sealer and space in the barn, or do you call it firewood? At what point do you draw the line? It does have some nice burl and color changes, although not the reds like I wanted. I'm just looking for a little education as to what folks want and can use?

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 4


----------



## APBcustoms

im pretty sure anything burly or curly is a score my friend!! dont burn

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 4


----------



## Kevin

It's gorgeous. No way you can be seriously thinking of burning that. Just an FYI although I don't think you'll have any trouble selling or trading that stuff away, don't cut everything thin all the time. Try to cut a fairly balanced ratio of 4/4, 5/4. 6/4, 8/4, and thicker bowl blanks in the 4" through 6" thicknesses by whatever the tree can give as to squareness.

You can't always get al those sizes out of a single tree if it's small but you can cut one log into 4/4 and 5/4 then the next tree take some cal blanks and small turning blanks etc. The reason I say cut 4/4 AND 5/4 is because you can get final thickness of 3/4 and better from the 4/4 for pen blanks and hair sticks () and you need a certain amount of 5/4 for the guys like pot call makers and some flat projects etc. that cannot have less than a full 4/4+ once dry and processes. Some pot call makers like 1 1/8+

That's eye candy Allan - any burl will sell fast no matter the coloring.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 5


----------



## woodtickgreg

That is some real nice burl, it's amazing what folks do with it. It can be stabilized, dyed, and god knows what else. That will make nice knife scales and pot call blanks and pen blanks. That's a nice score my friend. If there are some wider boards the box makers will like them too. Burl is Burl! Just because it is box elder and doesn't have the red that most people associate with box elder doesn't mean it is not usable or desirable.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


----------



## Drgam

I'll take the burl over the red any day, it's much harder to find.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 3


----------



## Sprung

Allan - definitely don't burn it! (Or, if you want to burn it, put it in a box and send it to me, I'd be happy to "burn" it for you!  )

One of my best pens I've made is a Cigar pen with a piece of stabilized Box Elder Burl - no red to it, just creamy color. Looks really nice and probably one of the best finishes I've achieved so far.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## justallan

And this is why I'm on this site. To get some knowledge from some pretty good people. Thanks guys. I had better just get used to sealing. lol
I cut this one mostly 8/4 and a couple 6/4 on the last 2 on the mill. Generally when I open a log I start out with 4/4 until I get a decent face, so I can go back and cut the small stuff for pen blanks.
I did fix my stops this morning so now I can saw all of the small dry limbs and trees that I have piled for winter down to as little as 3/4" if I need to.

Reactions: Like 4


----------



## Kevin

justallan said:


> Generally when I open a log I start out with 4/4 until I get a decent face, so I can go back and cut the small stuff for pen blanks.



That's the best way IMO too.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------



## DavidDobbs

Looks nice

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Tony

Definitely don't burn it Allan! The red is nice, but certainly not everything. Like others have said, that burl is pretty all on it's own. Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## JR Custom Calls

I'd be all over that stuff for pot calls. Box elser burl takes dye so awesome.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## DKMD

I'm probably in the minority, but I prefer my box elder burl without much color... It takes dye extremely well, and the white stuff is perfect for dyeing.

Nice find!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Kevin

I agree. I even like FBE with about as much white as flame. Just sets the flame off better. Boxelder burl without flame is quite plentiful. It's one of the most widely available burls IMO but it also is just as widely sought after. It's beautiful stuff with or without the red but I too like it marble white. Now *that* is hard to find though. Usually it's creme colored.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Treecycle Hardwoods

I second everything above. Nice score.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## DavidDobbs

2nd thought it might be firewood.
Since you coming to IL. You bring it to me. I will send you home with a load of Osage firewood. You will be real warm and I will be happy

Reactions: Funny 3


----------



## Kevin

Allan you'll need to take Dave about 4 times the wood because osage burns about 4 times hotter. It's only fair man.

(remember Dave we're splitting the booty even steven)

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 2


----------



## justallan

Well that sure made things easier finding trees this afternoon. I never even made it out to the trees that I had planned on cutting. I just scouted around a bit and left everything that I can get to when it freezes up this winter. I did bring 2 home though. This first tree is pretty dry and solid as rock. It does have some twisting and cracks. The bad part about it that the bottom section is to big for my mill and I'll either have to split it or at least take off one side.



The second one is the one closest and is hollow, but there is a bunch of nice wood on it for sure.

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 6 | Way Cool 1


----------



## JR Custom Calls

3 words... O M G.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


----------



## justallan

Well crap! I'd planned on sitting around this afternoon, but I just can't do it. I'm going to saw some of that up. LOL

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


----------



## JR Custom Calls

While you're at it, just throw some in a box with my address on it..

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------



## Sprung

Allan, you're tempting me to want to do another trade with you for some more of that stuff - and I don't really have anything left that I could trade! 

(Can't wait to see what's hiding in those logs!)

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Foot Patrol

Allen I would also say that boxelder burl is pretty versatile. Like others have said, plain Jane BEB can be dyed and stabilized. It makes amazing knife scales.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## HomeBody

I might be movin' to Montana soon...gonna be a burl tycoon. Gary Zappa

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


----------



## GeauxGameCalls

Picturessss!


----------



## Bigdrowdy1

Please send any extra fire wood to Texas we are currently in a cold snap. We have temps moving up into the mid 90's this week but they say it wont last too long and that wood would turn so I mean burn so sweet.

Reactions: Funny 1


----------



## justallan

I'll try to get some pictures tonight. Not far into sawing I got a call and it really sounded like my girlfriend needed to go out and eat, well, you all know how that works.
I guess I need lights in the barn, lol.

Reactions: Funny 1


----------



## SENC

justallan said:


> I'll try to get some pictures tonight. Not far into sawing I got a call and it really sounded like my girlfriend needed to go out and eat, well, you all know how that works.
> I guess I need lights in the barn, lol.


Or a new girlfriend. We need you cutting and taking pictures. We're hungry, too!

Reactions: Funny 4


----------



## justallan

Here's a few pictures of the second log from the ground, just above the 3 way split. There were a few that were from last night that didn't get sealed yet
I ran a few of them through the planer to show them better.

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 2


----------



## DavidDobbs

Very nice!


----------



## SENC

Nice!


----------



## Bigdrowdy1

Looking good!!! What is the dimensions of the board in pic 5 and is it available to ship to Texas ?


----------



## justallan

Rodney, I haven't measured everything up yet. I probably won't sell or trade anything until sometime in November. Right now I have no guarantee if I can even make it to town during daylight to get something shipped.
It's pretty busy around here this time of year.

Reactions: Great Post 1


----------

