# Cutting up another box elder, with root burl



## WoodDance1618 (Mar 16, 2016)

hi all,
Would of put this in the showcase forum because I'm so proud, after pulling this over with a Chevy 1500 and beginning to saw, but I'd love some advice.

The limitations here are:
1 person with 20" Stihl.
No mill, no heavy moving/lifting, no bandsaw...only chainsaw and various finer woodworking tools.

What I'd like...and am curious about is this trunk and its twisted fork, spattered with spalted and some flame, so far solid and pretty. I want a slab.

If I were to slice a thick slab from this, about 30" wide and 48" long, 4" thick....and then seal it, will it explode?
Is this species suitable for lumber; live edge slab cuts? I'd like to Make a table, it would be nice and lightweight. 
I doubt it's worth hiring a mill...I want the burl for turning and possibly some more income but you can comment on how you'd process this, as you see fit.

I let the last root burl go in pieces for around $1,000. This one is mine...or so I hope.

Any comments on lumber, boards or cookies from this section..or what/how I might make the most of the trunk section. It's really lovely wood and I'm very proud to own it. Also, the front of my house looks much nicer without the dying elder.

Cheers. Glad to be back online with like minds.
-Walter 

(Hand truck for visual size reference)

Reactions: Way Cool 2


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## woodtickgreg (Mar 16, 2016)

Man that's a crazy burl! Box elder is a very easy and stable wood to dry in my experiences with it.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## David Van Asperen (Mar 16, 2016)

I wish that I had the knowledge to be able to advise you on how best to process this beauty. Will be watching this to see if I can learn from this
Dave

Reactions: Useful 1


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## manbuckwal (Mar 17, 2016)

Phone a friend with a bigger saw would be my first choice . Is the trunk diameter such that your saw will cut completely through if cut from both sides ?


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## Mike1950 (Mar 17, 2016)

Looks like some nice wood in the root burl. Do you have a pressure washer? if not rent one to clean the dirt off. There will be enough hidden sand and grit to aggravate you. Get rid of what you can see.


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## barry richardson (Mar 17, 2016)

Nice! But I don't see much cuttin goin' on sure has a nice but, bet ya can't wait to open it up.....

Reactions: Like 1


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## WoodDance1618 (Mar 17, 2016)

Tom, the trunk can be sliced with my 20" but at the crotch it is nearly 30", so no. There isn't a friend option but several mills within 100 miles for which I have no form of compensation....other than my tree.

Mike, I will do ok with the root burl. Nature decides half the cuts with faults and rot. There is a massive clean burl here and many nice blocks. With parts and service a 100 mile drive, I learned (suffered) quickly regarding one tiny pocket of packed dirt....over and over, or chain after chain (2014)

It snowed last night so I'll put off cutting today.. Giving time for answers, thoughts and ideas.

Is the trunk material worth investing in, or should I slice out a slab and toss the rest in firewood piles? There are 24", 20" and 14" cookies for plates and platters but I am a cabinetmaker before turner so, my favorite may be the burl but, my strengths will be using boards.

It is impressive enough to make some large product. How about a bar top, a desk or a headboard?
I've recently made a desktop drawer unit using the box elder only for the small drawer faces...didn't know if it is stable enough for the drawers or carcass.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950 (Mar 17, 2016)

Some of the slabs can be nice- this just came from mill.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 3


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## Nature Man (Mar 17, 2016)

That log has to be crazy heavy! Seems like it holds great potential. Chuck


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## DKMD (Mar 17, 2016)

Nice find! I can't help you with the milling options, but I'd be a little concerned about boxelder for a table top... Soft maple doesn't seem like the most durable choice to me. I'm sure it has been done, but I'd think it might be better suited for places that won't see much wear and tear. I may be way off base in my concerns about its durability, so we'll see what the others have to say.


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## WoodDance1618 (Mar 17, 2016)

I talked with a few Woodworker's on exhibit at Western Art Week and only one suggested exactly what I intend to do...which is cut off 4', stand it up and freehand a 3" slab, let it dry - warp (but not crack) and thickness it later.

By that time I'll figure what to do. 
Also, box elder almost always dead in middle so I've got to go outside right now and cut off burl so I can see trunk to make better decision.


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## WoodDance1618 (Mar 17, 2016)

I cut in three.

The good news is, solid as a rock.
The bad news is,,, I can't even roll over the burl or the crotch piece. Easily 500lbs. I can lift about 80 ...I stood up the 4' trunk and its solid, has nice color and is 24"-28" around...so nope, saw doesn't fit thru.

Cutting this wood is wonderful. Sorry if I pissed anyone off by chopping up this big beauty but I've got to do what is within my means.

...going to try to move ...smallest first. Any Egyptians online?

Reactions: Way Cool 3


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## gman2431 (Mar 17, 2016)

Beautiful lab and wood!


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## gman2431 (Mar 17, 2016)

Create yourself a fulcrum and you will be surprised with what you can move with it!


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## justallan (Mar 17, 2016)

What part of Montana are you in. I'm always up for some fun if it's close.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## WoodDance1618 (Mar 17, 2016)

...and the next cut so I could move it. Real heavy! I got the big half...half way to the backyard on a hand truck but of course 50" doesn't fit through a 36" gate. I cannot budge it. lol.
A good afternoon and pretty pieces.


 

Here's the unexpected pocket of rock-solid clay that ended my fun. ..right where it's stuck in my gateway. ..if I can't even tip it...gotta be over 400lbs.

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


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## manbuckwal (Mar 18, 2016)

Cutting up figured wood is like a treasure hunt. Processing Root burl wreaks havoc on chains and/or blades, but the reward is "usually'" worth it

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## WoodDance1618 (Mar 18, 2016)

..and then this. My front yard is now clean. Awesome adventure.



 

Big void in this but I'm loving it. ...well at least I did this, alone with my 20" Stihl, only option available.
Cheers.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 2


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## ClintW (Mar 18, 2016)

Looks like some real nice curl above the crotch area!

Reactions: Agree 2


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## HomeBody (Mar 19, 2016)

Nice cuts by hand. Your dog looks skeptical, but I see some good wood there. I'd like to find one of those box elder trees around here but I think they must be rare for some reason. Gary


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## WoodDance1618 (Mar 19, 2016)

The first three 3.5" slabs cut free. 48" x 34" 
Pretty wild.
I hate to tell you but cutting this stuff with a 20" saw is absolutely fun. I can only imagine the joy of owning heavy equipment. Well, I'm doing what I can afford this month.
I probably will have to plane off 3/4" from each side for the crappy cuts I made but, overall pleased.

Do I have to Anchorseal all faces, because it's box elder? ..or can I get away with just end grain?

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 1


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## WoodDance1618 (Mar 19, 2016)

extraneous post here...stuck in iPad loop, sorry. Going back to saw.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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## Kevin (Mar 19, 2016)

I wish I could find a way to get my flame red trees to grow burls that big, or those big northern boxelders to get full of the intense red flames mine produce. I just want it all is that too much to ask? 

BEB is still one of my favorite red or no red.

Reactions: Like 2


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## justallan (Mar 20, 2016)

WoodDance1618 said:


> Do I have to Anchorseal all faces, because it's box elder? ..or can I get away with just end grain?View attachment 99749


Yes, you want to seal all sawn faces on your burls. Burls are somewhat like a ball of string that you cut in half, every end of the string is a long cell that takes in air.
What part of Montana are you in?


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## WoodDance1618 (Mar 20, 2016)

The entire Saturday disappeared into a pile of saw dust.
I cut the crotch pieces into 6 thick slabs.
I cut the trunk into several but the wood was character-less so I left on 10" thick and made an outdoor table.

The burl balls are enormous. I cleaned up the burls to solid blocks but I did not cut into the burls because .... 1) they are the biggest I've seen. 2) they are solid...no fault lines, huge inclusions or rot to 'cut around', 3) I don't know what to do with them..this big or smaller right now so...

The burl block is 54" long 28" wide and 18" deep - solid. ...and there's the other half which is 50" x 22" x 13" deep.

The burls and colored slabs I put Anchorseal on all faces and stacked. The lumber well...3-sides anyway.

Awesome day, done for now as I have some income work this coming week, not to be distracted from.

Allen, I'm outside of Great Falls.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 2


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