Burls for Ken

[Burly Man]

@Ken Martin

Here’s a few pics of one of my piles. Mostly Ceanothus, a couple Myrtle but it looks like the Myrtle has some bugs in it. Let me know anything looks interesting and I can get you pricing and better photos. I also have som very large Ceanothus that I could maybe throw on my mill and but you something if you want. I have some blanks at the shop too I can post another time.

 

[Ken Martin]

Thanks for showing these. I’m assuming that you are willing to trim off some excess? How big are these two (within the red marks on the second one)? I’m limited to 12” on my midi lathe, but would rather work these burls into something smaller anyway -like around 7-9 inches. I might need to take a peek in your other pile at your shop. I’m not in a big hurry.

also, if you come across a long, skinny one about a foot long or better let me know. It might work for another project I have in mind.

 

[Burly Man]

ok, so the top one is about 8" max diameter, and the bottom between the red is about the same 8 to 10" max... the top one is pretty uniform in its over all roundness, whereas the bottom one (red lines) what you see is what you get... it bulbous on the one side you see and the back side is pretty much flat.

 

[Burly Man]

as far as burls for vases or taller work these are nice.. especially the one:

 

[Burly Man]

and here's some other smaller to medium ones:

 

[Ken Martin]

OK, so I don’t think either of the original 2 I asked about will work.
Now, of the new ones you trotted out like a used car salesman I’m interested in these:

one last question, what is the wood above the burl like to work? Is it similar to the wood in the burl, but with straight grain? Is it solid or deeply curtained or pitted? Other observations?

 

[Burly Man]

the one with the trunk still on it with the tape measure in the picture... that one the trunk is very dense like the burl, but it is checked, so I personally wouldn't count on using the trunk, but depends on what you're trying to accomplish I guess. Its solid enough that it would hold up if you wanted to turn it and have the void. To me I would cut it off at the top of the burl.

The smaller one that I'm holding sort of in the palm of my hand... that one I could see utilizing the trunk al little bit if need be. It is more solid with not much for checks or voids.

Overall the whole damn tree is extremely dense, so yes the trunk is equally as hard as the burl. You've gotten ceanothus from me in the past haven't you? If so, you'll recall its very dense and it polishes up extremely well.

Hope that helps.

 

[Ken Martin]

Yeah, it helps, but I’m rolling ideas around in my head. I don’t know much about the plant itself and all I can find along those lines is about the burl. I’m now wondering if the wood may be suitable for some of my projects. How large do the trunks get and what do you do with them? Apparently it checks readily , but does sealing the ends stop the checking or will it check anyway, like Crepe Myrtle? If it has some of the characteristics of the burls I’ve gotten from you, I’d be interested in trying a piece or two. Do you even have any pieces of trunk, say about 4” or bigger in diameter? I can mill it myself if I could get a couple of round logs sent down here.
Same goes for Manzanita. What’s the above-ground plant like?

as for the burls, what would you be asking for those last ones I pointed out?

 

[Tim Carter]

Joel,
I'm not trying to butt in line but I'm interested in the burl you suggested to Ken would be a good blank for a vase. The pic you posted has 2 burls in it. I'm interested in the top one. It looks like it's about 17-18" long and 8-9" in diameter. If Ken passes on that piece, please let me know how much you want for it. Thanks!
Tim

 

[Ken Martin]

Is this the one you’re looking at, Tim? You’re welcome to it. I don’t think I could do it justice.
@Burly Man , go ahead and work a deal with Tim on that one with my blessing.

 

[Burly Man]

Yeah, it helps, but I’m rolling ideas around in my head. I don’t know much about the plant itself and all I can find along those lines is about the burl. I’m now wondering if the wood may be suitable for some of my projects. How large do the trunks get and what do you do with them? Apparently it checks readily , but does sealing the ends stop the checking or will it check anyway, like Crepe Myrtle? If it has some of the characteristics of the burls I’ve gotten from you, I’d be interested in trying a piece or two. Do you even have any pieces of trunk, say about 4” or bigger in diameter? I can mill it myself if I could get a couple of round logs sent down here.
Same goes for Manzanita. What’s the above-ground plant like?

as for the burls, what would you be asking for those last ones I pointed out?

Ken, try looking up california lilac and you should have more success seeing it as a

Yeah, it helps, but I’m rolling ideas around in my head. I don’t know much about the plant itself and all I can find along those lines is about the burl. I’m now wondering if the wood may be suitable for some of my projects. How large do the trunks get and what do you do with them? Apparently it checks readily , but does sealing the ends stop the checking or will it check anyway, like Crepe Myrtle? If it has some of the characteristics of the burls I’ve gotten from you, I’d be interested in trying a piece or two. Do you even have any pieces of trunk, say about 4” or bigger in diameter? I can mill it myself if I could get a couple of round logs sent down here.
Same goes for Manzanita. What’s the above-ground plant like?

as for the burls, what would you be asking for those last ones I pointed out?

ken, if you try looking up California Lilac (ceanothus) I think you will find a lot more info on it. I’ve seen the trunks get up to 8” to 10”. They get to be large bushes or small to medium sized trees.

The trouble is, around here anyway, they grow on the mountain sides that are virtually impossible to get too because the shrubs are dense and do not enable hiking to them, plus the mountain sides they grow on are very steep. And then if you did hike up to one, the ground is like concrete and doesn’t like to give up the burls. So the way I get them is by letting Mother Nature do a lot of the work. Fires burn through quickly and consume the bush above ground and leave the trunk sticking up out of the ground, then in the rainy season we sometimes get mudslides that eventually wash the burls into the creeks. I hike up the creeks hunting them and pack them out. So this is why the trunks are usually not in the best shape by the time I get them because they were above ground and exposed to the most intense heat of the fire so they check from that, but the fire usually moves through so fast that the burls are either not harmed at all or just have some surface damage. Here’s a picture from Home Depot of one in someone’s yard, not exactly how they look in the wild, but you get the idea.

 

[Burly Man]

Joel,
I'm not trying to butt in line but I'm interested in the burl you suggested to Ken would be a good blank for a vase. The pic you posted has 2 burls in it. I'm interested in the top one. It looks like it's about 17-18" long and 8-9" in diameter. If Ken passes on that piece, please let me know how much you want for it. Thanks!
Tim

Tim, how about $150 shipped for that tall one. It’s about 20 lbs. and it should be pretty well dry. I think it’s been in the pile for 3 or 4 years

 

[Burly Man]

@Ken Martin if I followed you correctly these are the ones you wanted pricing on… did it get it right?

 

[Burly Man]

@Ken Martin this perspective might help. The $100 one is very nice only very small dimple voids here and there and very nice and round. The other 2 are more misshappen and have larger voids

 

[Burly Man]

The large one is 20 lbs probably 18lbs if I cut the 12” length of trunk off

 

[Burly Man]

Also you reminded me when you mentioned manzanita that I got this trunk the other day that one of my clients had cut down… so it’s green but I took it because it seems to have some figure in at least part of it. Seems like I could get a pretty nice 6x6x24 out of it if that is anything you could use?

 

[Burly Man]

This is a new Ceanothus out of the creek so probably green. Fairly round but not perfect… $75

 

[Tim Carter]

Joel,
I'll take it! Please make sure it's the top one in the pic you posted. It has a nice shape to it that will lend itself to a tall vase/hollow form very easily. I'll get you paid via PP. My shipping address has not changed but let me know if you need it again.

Ken, thank you for letting me take this one!
Tim

 

[Burly Man]

Joel,
I'll take it! Please make sure it's the top one in the pic you posted. It has a nice shape to it that will lend itself to a tall vase/hollow form very easily. I'll get you paid via PP. My shipping address has not changed but let me know if you need it again.

Ken, thank you for letting me take this one!
Tim

Thanks Tim, I’ll get it boxed up, and yes I still have your address… and my PayPal is the same

 

[Ken Martin]

Yes, Joel, those are the ones, but now you’ve muddied the water (in a good way). What would you want for the Manzanita trunk and the creek ceanothus together? I like the length the manzanita.

you’re welcome, Tim! Enjoy!