WOOOOD Scooooorrrrrre!

[Tim Brooks]

This was dropped off by a friend of mine last night and I just had to share with all of you. There is a story behind it and I will have to share that with you later as I am about to walk out the door.

But check this out! The roll of towels is merely for reference.


I have added the full story further down in the post...

[Bill Bolen]

Geez Tim, wish I had a friend like that! Bet you can't wait to get inside of her!...Bill...

[Brian McInturff]

Tim,
Can't tell from the pic but is that oak? I've been scoping a few out today at work but no where near that size. Great score and we are all anxious to see what's inside!

[Bill Embrey]

Tim... tell, tell, tell.... want to hear the story..... cut, cut, cut.... want to see what's inside... LOL... we're like a bunch of spoiled bratz around here aren't we?

[Allen Neighbors]

You lucky dawg!!!!!
Congratulations on having awesome friends!!

[Pat Salter]

I don't know which is worse, stories without pictures or pictures without stories

[Tim Brooks]

I am so sorry to have left all of you hanging on the story side of this oak burl. I was in a hurry to be somewhere last night by 7:30 pm. Anyway, the fella who brought this thing to me was almost giddy with his find. And to tell you the truth, I was too when I saw it.

Now as to the story: I hope I can do it justice when putting it down in typed word but here goes.

The guy's name who brought me this burl is Tracy. A while back I was showing him the burl my boss brought me while it was still in its raw state. He began to tell about a huge knot he found in a tree in his neighborhood. He told me that for years he thought it was a wasps/hornets nest which was about 20 feet up in the tree. Anyway, at this point he simply said I'll bring it to you soon. In the meantime, I chucked up half of the spalted water oak burl my boss gave me and turned my fourth bowl which is a natural edged bowl that I showed here in it’s roughed out stage. (I know. I know. I still owe you pictures of the final product.) After finishing the bowl a few weeks later, I decided I would take it to him so he could see what could be made out of the burls. The minute he saw it his face lit up like a Christmas tree. He intensely checked out the bowl with a huge smile on his face. Then he said, "I will be bringing you the knot I found--this week." This was Sunday morning. Sunday night he calls and says, "Okay, I have a present for you." A longer story short he brings it to me and of course I was amazed at its size. It weights about 60 to 70 lbs.

Then begins to tell his story behind the burl: The neighborhood in which he lives has a grand entrance with many trees and other landscaping down the middle of the entryway. That is where this burl was found! He had been scoping out when would be the best time of day to extract said burl from the tree without getting caught. Yes, he had been planning the extraction all this time. Anyway, after seeing the bowl earlier that day he threw all plans to be discreet about the extraction out the window. He began cutting on the limb this burl was hanging on with an extension hand saw; when he realized he was going to be there all night. He was about 1/2 through the limb at this point. He then decided (this is the funny part in a redneck kind of way—you know the “Hey y’all watch this”) he would throw a rope over the limb and start pulling down on it--to no avail. He then had an even brighter idea and decided to tie a loop in the end of the rope and start jumping up and down on it. (Are you beginning to see where this is going?) Yes, he was jumping up and down on a ~70 lb limb which was directly above him. After about the 5th jump he had a revelation... ‘You know, if this breaks off I am not going to be able to get out of the way.” (I think that would have been my FIRST thought but anyway...) Upon realizing his poor decision, he decided to tie it off to his truck and after tugging and backing up about 3 times it finally came down. All of this was done in the entrance to his neighborhood with people going by. He would stop what he was doing each time someone passed. He's soooo craaaazzy!

Needless to say, I am so glad he didn't get hurt during his extraction. He was bound and determined to get this thing to me as fast as he could. And like many of you have already said, I cannot wait to see what's in side of it. And yes, it is great to have good friends who would risk life and limb to bring you a piece of wood.

Now here is my question to all of you: Would it be better to cut it up in turnable pieces now or wait 6 months or a year. What would be the best approach in preparing it to be turned on my Jet 1014 VS?

Sorry this is so long but you asked for the story. I hope I didn’t bore you! I thought it was quite comical.

[Rasmus Petersen]

Now here is my question to all of you: Would it be better to cut it up in turnable pieces now or wait 6 months or a year. What would be the best approach in preparing it to be turned on my Jet 1014 VS?[/COLOR]

Well the easy thing is to cover it in stamps, put my address in denmark on it and give it to the Postman :-)

Great story by the way and i cant wait to se what comes out of that burl..

[Jim Becker]

Knarly, man!

[Pat Salter]

Now here is my question to all of you: Would it be better to cut it up in turnable pieces now or wait 6 months or a year. What would be the best approach in preparing it to be turned on my Jet 1014 VS?


personally, i would rough cut it up now, seal it with anchorseal, store it in a cool dry place and go from there. leaving it whole only prolongs the drying time.

ps. great story

[robert hainstock]

I don't think I ever saw hairy wood before. gonna try NE?
Great score by the way.
Bob

[Chris Padilla]

Sweet piece of wood...even funnier story! I know I'm in "foreign territory" (spinny thing land) but I'd cut off the little nub/handle there and slice that baby into thin veneer strips!

[Bob Hallowell]

Something that nice, I would cut it up ancorseal it and the put the in a garage bag just to be sure you get no cracking. Ancorseal alone doesn't always work so my very nice pieces get bagged.

Bob

[Ben Gastfriend]

Looks good! That's huge!

Veneer strips? Are you crazy!?

[TYLER WOOD]

get him Ben!!! Hey if you linger in the spinney world too long, it'll happen. Just ask Mr. Fitzgerald!

I vote cut it up. Chuck one piece up now, store another small piece, send the rest to me!!! Best of all three worlds!