amboyna burl

[stevenson kam]

hi! i'm just new here and honestly know nothing at all. if you could please answer my questions in a layman's term.
I have an amboyna burl but i dont know how to cut it and will be getting highly figured turning squares. do i have to wax them right away before it reaches it's destination (5-6 hour drive)? is the wax expensive? how long do i have to store them in able for the woods to become stable?
i really appreciate all your help guys! thanks!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Stevenson - Welcome to the Creek! Guess I need a little more info before advising. Is the burl green (wet) wood or has it been kiln dried? You are planning to cut it and then transport it? Just a little more detail would help us out here.

Again - Welcome to the Creek!

[stevenson kam]

hi, we just digged up the burl a week ago and have no idea when the tree was cut. i need squres, 2-4" in width and 12" & above in length. no clue as to how to dry them, how to cut and when to apply the wax... i hope i've provided enough info. thanks!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Stevenson, there is a product called anchorseal, which is a water based emulsified wax, that is commonly used to seal the ends of wood and help prevent checking/cracking. It should be available at most woodworking stores - like Rockler, Woodcraft, etc. You can also paint the ends of the wood as a temporary way to slow down the drying process. Worse case, place the wood in plastic bags and the plastic will prevent the wood from drying out. Leave the wood in the plastic for to long and it will begin to mold - which can add some color and additional markings in the wood.

As far as cutting - really depends on the shape of the wood and what you have to cut the wood with; chainsaw, bandsaw, bow saw, etc. A lot of burls have the grain running in all directions - so it really doesn't matter how or what direction the wood is cut.

Hope that gives you something to go on. If you have more questions - please ask.

[David Epperson]

Is this a burl or a root ball? You said you dug them up?

[Allen Schmid]

Welcome Stevenson,
Some good ideas already. I have been lucky in using a product similar to Anchorseal, Woodcraft carries it and would be another option to check out.
Good luck on you venture...we'll be waiting to hear how it turns out.
Allen

[Dan Forman]

I don't think amboyna grows in the US, so if they just dug it up, I'm guessing Stevenson lives in a foreign land, where Anchor Seal might not be available, at least not from the usual suspects (Rockler, Woodcraft, etc.) How about some suggestions for using melted wax like paraffin? All I know about that is to use some sort of double boiler (melt the wax in a separate container set in hot water) to avoid igniting the wax. Anyone else?

Dan

[Scott Conners]

Stevenson - the object of waxing or sealing green wood is to slow or stop the moisture loss from the cut ends, especially the end grain areas where the wood will lose moisture the fastest. Burls don't usually have a unified grain pattern, so you usually want to seal the whole blank. I've used candle wax, paraffin wax (melt with a double boiler like Dan said or risk fire/explosion!), anchorseal, and even latex paint in a pinch. For the 5-6 hour trip a plastic bag would be just fine as well.
Many/most turners prefer to rough the wood still green, when it's much easier to work on. The form is left thick enough to allow for drying movement, and usually sealed or wrapped in paper to slow moisture loss and help prevent cracking. Then once the rough form is dry (2-12 months+ for air drying, depending on the shape and the drying conditions) the wood is returned to the lathe and finished.

A commonly cited rule of thumb for air drying lumber is 1 inch/year, so if you have a 12"x12"x3" bowl blank, assume 3 years for full air drying. This is VERY dependent on drying conditions - temperature, humidity and air movement all affect this time. To shorten that, rough turn the 12" bowl into a 1.25" thick blank, and you will shorten the drying time significantly. A rule of thumb for rough thickness of bowls is 10% of the diameter of the piece.

I suggest cutting the burls into whatever shapes you need to make the forms you want, try to keep as much solid wood in each block as possible, bark inclusions and voids make turning more difficult. Seal or bag the pieces as they are cut, and keep them out of the sun! Once you get them to your storage area, you can either seal them with wax or keep them bagged, but if they are bagged they will eventually begin to rot, so try to rough turn them within a month or two. If you want to dry the blocks without rough turning them, you can seal them lightly and let them air dry, or you can use an accelerated drying process such as alcohol soaking or kiln drying. If you want information on these processes ask here and we'll try to help.

Hope that helps, please ask if anything is unclear.

[stevenson kam]

wow! it'll take me 1 year and more before i can turn them...
no choice, besides i have a lot of things to do while waiting.
hopefully with in the week the squares will be in my storage and i'll take some pictures. hehehe .
if you have any ideas/ info that you think i might need, please... educate me.

all of the inputs are greatly appreciated.

many thanks,
stevenson