Cutting up a maple burl?

[VECtor Calls]

My bud came home with a huge maple burl today.  I mean HUGE.  I was wondering if someone could step us through how to take care of them, into the blocks.  He's got all the chainsaws and we know how to sticker normal wood, I just need directions of the difference between straight grain wood, and burls.

I suppose they need to be coated in all directions?  I'm sure we'll use Anchor Seal.

Thanks for the help in advance!

Parker

[Al_at_THO Game Calls]

The grain orientation isn't going to make much difference I wouldn't think.   I would cut it the best way I can to get the most blocks from it.  2 x 2 would be my choice.

Once cut, I would go tot he grocery store and get some parafin way and heat it in a double boiler over the stove - just out one pot of wax over a pot of boiling water.

Dip the ends in the wax, do not wax the sides or it will never dry.

Hope you get some more help but that is how I would do it.

Al @ THO

[VECtor Calls]

Thanks Al.  Is there a reason you would use the wax over anchor seal?  Is it the cost difference?

I hear what you're saying now about coating the whole thing!  DUH!     I should've thought about that.

Parker

[Al_at_THO Game Calls]

Yeah - I'm cheap LOL.  THe wax does a grate job and all you do is heat and dip - kind of like hot wings at Hooters, just don't try to eat them :)

Really, the wax is cheap, you put it in a pot heat it up and dip the blank.  Drys almost instantly when you take it out too.  Then when you are done, just set the pot aside with the wax still in it for next time.  No clean up, no mess.   

AL @ THO

[Walls Calls]

I bought a guge maple burl a while ago on an auction and it was dry and vey checked. My question would be how do yo determin the end grain to wax.  Some  of the blanks I cut had such diverse grain patterns that in 5" some had turned and was goin out the side.  Like I said mine was dry so I just shelved it but I think if it was wet I would have dipped the whole thing in Anchor seal.  It may take longer to dry but goodthings come to those that wait.  I'm not sure, this is more of a question than anything else.  I'd like to know the right way too.

CW

[Al_at_THO Game Calls]

I think if you dip the whole thing, it will never dry because there is no way for the moisture to excape if it is sealed all the way around.   Not for sure on that, but sounds reasonable to me.

I have no idea how you would determine the end grain since on a lot of burls, it ALL end grain, or so it seems LOL


Al @  THO

[HaMeR]

Walls-- I know next to nothing about this but I would think if it were checked enough it would be ready to cut into blanks now & be used. Maybe someone else can jump in here that actually knows something more about this than me. A moisture meter handy on the 1st couple cuts would help too.

Just a thought or two.  8)

[dogcatcher]

Wax is cheaper if you go to the candle making section of a craft store.  The canning wax at the grocery store is food grade, and the price bites a little harder.

Marvin

[Walls Calls]

Hamer, Mine was as dry as a popcorn fart when I bought it.  It was at an estate auction and the old fella had died 10 years before the wife did.  So most of it has been turned.   My question is you wax the ends of a call blank right? The end of the blank would be endgrain if you cut it traditionaly. Right? The endgrain is where the checking and splitting starts as the wood contracts from drying. Right?  So if you have Burl that is esentialy all end grain shouldnt it be sealed all around?  I see what you are saying about wax sealing it too much but if checking occurs and ruins the blanks you might wish you had done it.  I'm just saying I'd rather turn it in the fall of 2012 than burn it in the winter of 2008 because it was junk.  Like I said I don't know what the right thing to do is but I used to get a lot of blanks that were waxed or sealed all around and they seamed to be dry. As a matter of fact I know all my Ebony is completely sealed  and so is most of my Coco. By the way when was it cut and whats protecting the face now?

CW

[Walls Calls]

Wow   :o this  reminded me of something I put down in the furnace room a while back.  I put it down there so it would dry and completely forgot. Out of sight out of mind. Now I have to check on it.


CW

[VECtor Calls]

 ;D  Well, I'm bringin up interesting debate.  Maybe my buddy's going to have to be the g-pig for this for everyone!   ;D

Parker

[dogcatcher]

A thin coat of wax/paraffin that is brushed on will let moisture escape.  Now if you dip it and get a good solid heavy coat it will still allow some moisture to escape but very little.  I used to have a chart that explained moisture absorption, dipped would seal it 95%, while brushed on was something like 65%. 

A 2x2 blank that is brushed on with wax will dry within 5 months in my area, which is dry and arid.  Anchor Seal will take less time.  If it was me, I would first get some Anchor Seal then cut and seal.  Burl can really be cranky, you may land up with a bunch of firewood or a load of good blanks.  Another alternative is latex paint, I know of several people that use latex paint to seal their green wood.  That would kill me to get paint within a mile of burl.  It is interesting to take a piece of wood that is pained some awful color and then start tuning and have all of this beautiful wood under the paint.  But then I have no idea as to how latex and burl will work together since there are usually a lot of voids.

I would invest in Anchor Seal

Marvin

[VECtor Calls]

Thanks Marvin.  Charlie says he's going to start cutting this next week.  I'll be interested to see how things go.  I'm confident he'll get something figured out.  Not his first time cutting wood by a long shot, just his first burl.

Parker

[Bonjour]

Parker, I would seal the whole thing in anchor seal after cutting it up. Anchor seal is designed to breathe a little more than wax is and will dry when coated completely. It just slows the process down to help prevent checking. I use it on alot of my fresh cut wood, but I would go back and seal it again in a few months because it will lose some strength over time. As for endgrain, burls don't really have a defined endgrain since the grain is swirled in all directions. That is the reason why you should seal the whole thing. Just my 2 cents, but I have done alot of green wood and have learned a lot with burls, especially cherry and oak. They will split if you breathe on it wrong :D.      Ryan