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Old 03-21-2018, 05:43 PM
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Default Burls

I have a large tree in my back yard that has a large section,bottom 7-8 feet which is a burl.Is there anyone on here who may know someone who uses these and would be interested in obtaining it,picture can be provided upon request.Live in Nanton AB.
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Old 03-21-2018, 05:54 PM
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what kind of tree is it?? I may be interested
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Old 03-21-2018, 06:01 PM
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Man, I'd love to, as I wanted to do some live edge tables, but I have no place to dry them for now.
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Old 03-21-2018, 06:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by abhunt View Post
what kind of tree is it?? I may be interested
ill look into it and take picture tomorrow and post
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Old 03-21-2018, 07:09 PM
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Some burls can have a very high value. Look into it before you just give it away. It might pay the property taxes for the year.
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Old 03-21-2018, 08:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bullets View Post
Some burls can have a very high value. Look into it before you just give it away. It might pay the property taxes for the year.
Oh it's not for free,thanks Red Bullets,I know how much people love the burl handles on forged knives etc.
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Old 03-21-2018, 09:37 PM
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Tree type, condition of burl and grain will all be factors in what it's worth.

I have cut into big burls that are dry rotted on the inside others that were hollow.

Interested to see some pictures though.
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Old 03-21-2018, 10:14 PM
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I would be interested as well... not for the whole thing though, if even just for a small piece of it.
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Old 03-21-2018, 10:45 PM
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If it’s a hardwood tree the burl might be valuable but I don’t think the ones on jack pines would be worth a lot. If they are please let me know.
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Old 03-22-2018, 06:50 AM
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Figure and species is everything when it comes to burl pricing. Softwood burls are not valuable typically.
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Old 03-22-2018, 09:21 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tirebob View Post
Figure and species is everything when it comes to burl pricing. Softwood burls are not valuable typically.
X2 Hardwood Burls with specific characteristics will fetch you a good price. Softwood spruce/pine burls are pretty common in AB.
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Old 03-22-2018, 01:05 PM
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Default tree pic's

Here's some picture's still trying to get species identified,maybe someone on here knows what it is?
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Old 03-22-2018, 01:12 PM
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I'm pretty sure that's a Manitoba Maple. I cut a bunch of it for firewood a couple of years ago from a shelter belt.
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Old 03-22-2018, 01:17 PM
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Hard to tell from that... It could be poplar maybe. That looks like a deformed trunk with many small burls more than a big burl but you will need to slice to see what the grain looks like. If it is super crazy and tight, tiny figure then I would sell it in pieces to turners, knife makers, instrument makers etc, but if the grain is dull, you will probably sell it in slab form for people who want live edge for table tops, fireplace mantles etc, but it won't be as valuable if that is the case.

Edit - Maybe Manitoba Maple (aka Boxelder) as pointed out by HunterDave.
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Old 03-22-2018, 01:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HunterDave View Post
I'm pretty sure that's a Manitoba Maple. I cut a bunch of it for firewood a couple of years ago from a shelter belt.
I think so too, it should yield some pretty wood.
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Old 03-22-2018, 01:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tirebob View Post
Hard to tell from that... It could be poplar maybe. That looks like a deformed trunk with many small burls more than a big burl but you will need to slice to see what the grain looks like. If it is super crazy and tight, tiny figure then I would sell it in pieces to turners, knife makers, instrument makers etc, but if the grain is dull, you will probably sell it in slab form for people who want live edge for table tops, fireplace mantles etc, but it won't be as valuable if that is the case.

Edit - Maybe Manitoba Maple (aka Boxelder) as pointed out by HunterDave.
so what is best way to check the grain,slice of one of the burls? the bigger branches have burls on them as well,upon looking at some picture's I believe it to be Manitoba maple,who would be best to check on value?pretty big chunk there

Last edited by PCP_ECOM; 03-22-2018 at 02:07 PM.
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Old 03-22-2018, 02:17 PM
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It's Maple. You won't know the grain until it gets sliced. What might be a real find might turn up to have rot in the middle. Under the bark on the little burls you will find sharp points sticking out, this will be birds-eye. There might also be some nice crotch wood where it branches off. I've sliced up a few with my wood-mizer bandsaw. I'll try and post a pic later.
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Old 03-22-2018, 02:24 PM
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I read this a while back, good read... I'm not scanning through it again but somewhere in there it talks about how the poachers identify the good burls. Pretty sure I remember it saying it will kill the tree.

https://www.hcn.org/issues/49.5/busting-the-tree-ring
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Old 03-22-2018, 02:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChickakooKookoo View Post
I read this a while back, good read... I'm not scanning through it again but somewhere in there it talks about how the poachers identify the good burls. Pretty sure I remember it saying it will kill the tree.

https://www.hcn.org/issues/49.5/busting-the-tree-ring
tree is coming down either way,was just looking for a way to see what it looks like so I can post for whomever maybe interested in buying it.
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Old 03-22-2018, 02:45 PM
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You have to cut about a foot either side of the burl if you can so the burl doesn't crack when it's drying. There might be something special about drying it too. Google ought to turn up something.
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Old 03-22-2018, 06:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ovis40 View Post
It's Maple. You won't know the grain until it gets sliced. What might be a real find might turn up to have rot in the middle. Under the bark on the little burls you will find sharp points sticking out, this will be birds-eye. There might also be some nice crotch wood where it branches off. I've sliced up a few with my wood-mizer bandsaw. I'll try and post a pic later.
I've had lots of interest in this tree,measured it and the trunk piece is 8 foot long and it's 8 foot around,people asking me price but I have no idea
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Old 03-22-2018, 07:05 PM
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I would find someone who could cut it or who knows how to cut burl.
It's a risk and you might not be happy with what you find but it could be really nice tight grains with cool pattern and be worth LOTS broken down and sold in small scales.

I have seen burl sell in large chunks for $3/lb and have also seen knife scales go for $5- $45 each.
I have also cut into Manitoba maple burls then thrown them into the wood pile because they were not any good.

If you are just looking to get rid of it, say you are taking offers and go with that.
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Old 03-22-2018, 07:12 PM
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https://www.kijiji.ca/v-hobbies-craf...ationFlag=true
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Old 03-22-2018, 08:17 PM
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I have Burl logs - all Spruce.
Had them up for sale & no takers.

I have other logs with weird bends etc. which have nice wood grain if cut.
Again. no takers.

Guess I have a bunch of seasoned fire wood......
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Old 03-22-2018, 08:20 PM
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Realistically, I've seen these same types of trunks in many places, shelter belts, old neighbourhoods etc. If you can find someone to give you a hundred bucks take it and run.
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Old 03-22-2018, 08:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buckbrush View Post
I would find someone who could cut it or who knows how to cut burl.
It's a risk and you might not be happy with what you find but it could be really nice tight grains with cool pattern and be worth LOTS broken down and sold in small scales.

I have seen burl sell in large chunks for $3/lb and have also seen knife scales go for $5- $45 each.
I have also cut into Manitoba maple burls then thrown them into the wood pile because they were not any good.

If you are just looking to get rid of it, say you are taking offers and go with that.
Have you checked into the idea of epoxy filling the rot?? That's really cool.
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Old 03-22-2018, 08:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by calgarychef View Post
Realistically, I've seen these same types of trunks in many places, shelter belts, old neighbourhoods etc. If you can find someone to give you a hundred bucks take it and run.
worth more than a hundred just for fire wood,all good it's coming down either way,ill just keep it out of weather and let it dry,seems to be what people are asking about anyways.
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Old 03-22-2018, 09:20 PM
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I am genuinely curious how anyone would/could identify this specifically as a Manitoba Maple based on those pictures alone (including the cross section)?

I'm not saying it's not, but why not an ash, elm, or some other common prairie hardwood species?

Just curious as to what specific distinguishing characteristics make it seem to be so obvious?
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Old 03-22-2018, 10:33 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EZM View Post
I am genuinely curious how anyone would/could identify this specifically as a Manitoba Maple based on those pictures alone (including the cross section)?

I'm not saying it's not, but why not an ash, elm, or some other common prairie hardwood species?

Just curious as to what specific distinguishing characteristics make it seem to be so obvious?
had an arborist confirm everyone's posts,it's Manitoba maple (Boxelder)
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Old 03-23-2018, 12:27 AM
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I thought it was a box alder too. Not too many manitoba maples in Alberta.
Either way it is a type of maple and I bet if cut properly it will reveal what they call "birds eye maple."
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