# How to cut up a Box Elder, help needed.



## WoodDance1618

Curteous Greetings to all, on this, my first post at woodbarter.com.

Yesterday, I cut mostly dead upper box elder tree then used neighbor's backhoe to pull Football and trunk from ground.
Burl ball at base is 5' in diameter, trunk is 20" +/- diameter and 10' long (green) weight is over a ton. 
All cross-sections show pink/red and the burl is an enormous ball so:

Questions:

What should I do with this massive stump?

Should I cut "samples" to verify wether it's "worthwhile" to invest in processing further?
What is the reality of monetizing this huge resource? Is this wood all about turning and pen blanks? (In which case I should think a chainsaw would make do as opposed to milling into boards or slabs... yet, I can't imagine passing up slicing five-foot burls slabs from the full rootball. I have no equipment for processing this wood so I would have to hire a portable mill or carry this to a mill, here in Montana.

How does one begin to cut a tree with a huge burl rootball? (Likely, a multi-faceted question but I'd like to know if I might chainsaw off some chunks 12" x 24" etc.. to take back to my shop to make usable for the small items this wood is prized for) would I be able to find buyers through online marketplaces or is this wood only sold by commercial wood stabilizing companies... Is it worth it?

(I have photos, on my mobile devices but no computer.) I am a talented woodworker of 30 years with little to no experience logging/milling my own. I'd be pleased to sell most of this tree if it turns out to be precious to a buyer and a realistic pursuit. 

Wondering what to do.. And how to approach this big piece of wood. I'd like to ad some pics when I figure that out, but thought I'd get this post out before..

Thanks in advance,
Walter


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## SENC

Welcome, Walter! We're glad to have you here, and you're definitely in the right place for some advice and assistance. However, be sure to read the rules and post an introduction in the intro section (a requirement for your first post). Get that knocked out and some pictures posted of your burl, and you'll have all the guidance you could want.


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## kazuma78

If it is boxelder burl it is definitely worth cutting into useable pieces. There will be a demand for it without a doubt. Also, if it has flame in it, it will be even more desireable. If you post some pictures there will be many members who can make suggestions on how to cut it. Just make sure you invest in some sealent so it doesn't crack as it dries.


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## manbuckwal

@Kevin is the FBE king around here and i'm sure will have some good advice for ya !


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## WoodDance1618




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## WoodDance1618

Here's a little broken piece set atop the trunk showing flame colors..indicative it's in the whole huge burl.


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## WoodDance1618

One more showing the mess of roots and dirt and huge stump of burl


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## manbuckwal

I don't have any experience with Box Elder, however I would think if you see red in the roots when cut closer to the burl, would be a better indicator that flame would be present in the burl. Just my .02


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## ironman123

That looks to have many, many good possibilities as well as the trunk. Where is Kevin?


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## JR Custom Calls

I wouldn't have expected red in root burl... Of course I'm not box elder expert, but I didn't think the bugs went in the ground and got in the roots.


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## WoodDance1618

I'm going to clean up the big burl, cutting off the roots and removing the dirt. When I get a good answer on where to make slices for inspection, I'll post some pics. The red is def. in the trunk and all the branches... I didn't consider it not being lower so...fingers crossed.


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## Kevin

Others have much more experience with burls than I do, the species doesn't really matter. But if you're using a chainsaw to break it down, after power-washing it as best as can be done, I would probably do it this way . . .





Cuts 1 & 2 will allow you to slide the top over enough to see what you might have, and still allow it to sit on top of the bottom portion so you can take it down further (optional cuts) if you want to while it is still elevated making it easier on you and your chain. If you want to keep the top half intact you can just slide it off and see everything and go from threre. The last cut I would make would be to buck it off the tree, leaving enough of the trunk to wrap a chain around it if you have machinery to move it around.

Without more details this is how I would approach it probably. But I would break it down into snaller portions almost no matter what, so those yellow optional cuts I would definitely make at least 2 probably more. Then seal everything well in sealer. I think you'll get a lot of good wood out of that!

Reactions: Informative 1


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## manbuckwal

I was only thinking about flame being in it lol . Depending on what u are going to use it as, the burl "eyes" follow the direction of the knobs/spikes, so if u want mostly eyes and not rays on the surface cut parallel with the knobs/spikes. 
Granted, you are only going to get so many cuts like that.


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## Kevin

Tom if you cut it down the middle first and slide the top half over, you will be able to see the well defined rays on the extreme edges especially, meaning eyes at the top of those rays, without creating any waste yet.


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## Treecycle Hardwoods

You have gotten some good suggestions so far. My step one is always to wash the burl first. I personally won't offer any advice until it is cleaned a bit there is so much going on in the piece as it sits I feel like my advice would be speculation at best. After washing post more pix please. What I would be looking for is cracks in the burl, natural places where the burl didn't grow together and other defects present. You have a nice gem there whether or not it has red it is a burl and is worth the effort to break it down.


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## manbuckwal

Kevin said:


> Tom if you cut it down the middle first and slide the top half over, you will be able to see the well defined rays on the extreme edges especially, meaning eyes at the top of those rays, without creating any waste yet.



Sorry, my intent was only to show how to get the eye figure on the "face" . I did not mean that that should be your first cut . But, it depends on whats to be done with it . I don't have any experience with Box Elder, but with Buckeye Burl, depending on how much premium "eye" figure i want on the surface ( like a jewelry box lid) my first slice is going to be parallel to the greatest concentration of burl spikes. If I'm looking at calls, PM's, or pens, I will cut slabs at diff thickness parallel to the trunk and then cut blanks starting from the outside edge and working toward the center. 
A rough pic. Just my methodology is all . Doesn't mean its the best, or only way just one way ;)

Reactions: Like 1


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## WoodDance1618

Today is cut day... Started early but haven't gotten to the burl yet. There were a few signs of pink into the roots but, there is red above the burl....

Having fun, totally excited and really loving it when red sawdust flies off the blade... I know there's something nice here somewhere...

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


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## manbuckwal

Yep, lookin like some nice color ! Hope that burl has it too !


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## Kevin

It's going to have loads of figure and curl too I bet. Nice chunk of flame Walter.


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## WoodDance1618

I learned a sharpening lesson about hitting dirt pockets... Here's the lump before I cut it. ...with the correct size file a 1.5 hr away....might have to take a break and go into town. Fun day cutting.



 

Thank you so much for the help. I'm going to try and remove onelump, sort of 2/3 of Kevin's suggested cut #1. Don't have the capacity for a full half of this at a time..since I'm going for it, I'll just max out this 18" blade and next year bring my other saws. I had three more dying boxelder with the same big burly root ball,
Cheers

Reactions: Like 2


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## manbuckwal

Looks like u got everything including the kitchen sink

Reactions: Funny 1


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## justallan

Walter, what part of Montana are you in? I'm in Colstrip and am just getting into sawing some Box Elder myself.


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## SENC

justallan said:


> Walter, what part of Montana are you in? I'm in Colstrip and am just getting into sawing some Box Elder myself.


There's more than one part of Montana?​

Reactions: Funny 5


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## justallan

But Henry, there are so few people up here that a guy might drive a good while for sensible conversation. I've talked to cows and trees so long that the ones that don't answer Run.

Reactions: Funny 7


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## Foot Patrol

Walter I started a thread recently that is dedicated to showing root burls. I have asked that posters show an uncut burl and then what it looks like when you start cutting into the burl. Would appreciate it if you would add your pictures to the thread. I did not know that BEB was a root burl. Here is the link to the thread. http://woodbarter.com/threads/root-burls-and-other-fiqured-roots.17364/#post-212503


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## ironman123

Allan I understand talking to trees, most of us do that,,,,,,,but......talking to cows, come on now.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## WoodDance1618

Hey all, sorry I disappeared for a week but My enthusiasm waned a bit when the 'flame' wasn't there and the stump just seemed to get bigger and bigger the more I cut off. 
Today, I go pick up a few blades I had sharpened. Though I keep a pocket knife and my carpenter chisels, even gouges..perfectly sharp..I can't get the hang of chainsaw blades.

I cut three huge chunks off the tree stump. There were some nails in the trunk that killed a blade and set me back a drive.

Thanks to the long drive, I caught the "kitchen sink" joke by a previous poster.

Yes, there's more than one part of montana, but it's more true that what is a drive from NYC to Florida is something we might do in a day ...for a conversation, out here.
Tomorrow I'm off to see a friend ...not that far @240 miles away. I'm bringing him a trailer full of flamed box elder branches for his fireplace. At this point...I cannot believe my zealous approach to something that wasn't simple or straightforward at all.
Ah, I do have pics and will update soon.
Cheers.

Reactions: Like 1


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## JR Custom Calls

WoodDance1618 said:


> My enthusiasm waned a bit when the 'flame' wasn't there


Don't get discouraged... i love me some FBE, but i like box elder burl to be plain white.


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## Kevin

WoodDance1618 said:


> At this point...I cannot believe my zealous approach to something that wasn't simple or straightforward at all.



Walter that's how we all got started. If you didn't have any enthusiasm you wouldn't be cut out for being a woodaholic. You have all the necessary qualities so hang in there man it will be worth the learning curve. 

FYI chainsaws do not have blades they have chain on a bar. This is not nitpicking - we help educate each other here and believe me I learn something new everyday here no joke. Stay the course you are on the right path to a successful lifelong healthy addiction.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## WoodDance1618

The bright white burl is micro-detailed and beautiful. The 98% remaining is a bit of a mess...

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## justallan

Walter, take a look in the sawmilling section in a thread by me called, "A Swing and a Miss".
You were probably thinking about the same thoughts as myself when you didn't see what you were wanting to see. These folks set me straight on that with a quickness.
The little bit of smarts I do have says at the very least post pics and ask questions.
One HUGE thing I'll add in case you don't already know is to get some Anchor Seal before you slice up the burl and get every face sealed as soon after sawing as you can. It will crack all to heck in a hurry if you don't. I got to learn this the hard way. It was a very expensive mistake that I certainly don't want to see someone else do also.

Reactions: Like 2


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## manbuckwal

Kevin said:


> Walter that's how we all got started. If you didn't have any enthusiasm you wouldn't be cut out for being a woodaholic. You have all the necessary qualities so hang in there man it will be worth the learning curve.
> 
> FYI chainsaws do not have blades they have chain on a bar. This is not nitpicking - we help educate each other here and believe me I learn something new everyday here no joke. Stay the course you are on the right path to a successful lifelong healthy addiction.



Kevin have you ever seen a piece of BEB "color up" after it was cut ? I have seen some buckeye do it but not very often .


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## Kevin

manbuckwal said:


> Kevin have you ever seen a piece of BEB "color up" after it was cut ? I have seen some buckeye do it but not very often .



No I rarely harvest any BEB at all. I have found it here but only a few times over nearly 10 years. It just doesn't happen down here much.


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## manbuckwal

Kevin said:


> No I rarely harvest any BEB at all. I have found it here but only a few times over nearly 10 years. It just doesn't happen down here much.



lol, i mean your flame box elder. Have you ever cut any wood from your patch that was basically white and then got color in it after it was cut and "curing" ?


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## Kevin

manbuckwal said:


> lol, i mean your flame box elder. Have you ever cut any wood from your patch that was basically white and then got color in it after it was cut and "curing" ?



No. I understand your question now but no that has never happened.


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## WoodDance1618

Well, thank you all for the advice. I did what I could with a homeowner saw and some poor man's sealer. I'll drive this 500lb pile to my shop on the east coast and put it to a large band saw. I learned a great deal, from this forum and from the trials and errors of backyard "logging". Also, I apologize for the lack of juicy photos but I didn't take them, hard work, no iPhone handy.

Overall, I am very pleased with the fruits of the labor: 5 huge chunks of burl that are infiltrated by swirls and dashes of pink and red. Mostly white but with 5%-10% red. The wood color also goes from a darker brown to the very white outer edges. Fingers crossed on the 'sealer' I used til I get to a real shop. 

5 chunks, the largest nearly 3-feet and 200lbs.

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 5


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## Kevin

Walter that's a magnificent haul. I have a very bad case of wood envy. Congrats we demand pictures when you get it processed!



My one piece of advice is to get some log sealer. Not sure that paint will work for burl very weel. It's not worth risking with such valuable wood.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## WoodDance1618

Cutting some pieces to pack into truck for x-country haul. I believe it will, and has been, worth it.
My next post will be: what to do next. ...with 400 lbs. (think I'll leave a chunk here) cheers.

Reactions: Like 2


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