# Title change: maple burl purchase



## Elizabeth (Oct 17, 2009)

(Edit - Original title was "Is this a good deal for maple burls?")

No idea on dimensions (other than relative to the door) or drying, but someone locally has posted this ad:

"I have five large maple burls. Looking for about $20 a piece. Thanks."




























What do you think - worth a flutter at that price? Or will it depend on how and if they've been dried?


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## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

It sounds like a good deal. I don't know much about drying burls but another LJ might,


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## flashlightwarrior (Jul 12, 2010)

Similar sized burls go for that much or more in stores and on ebay. I doubt you'll find them for cheaper in any store or official woodseller. If you have somethign to do with them I'd say snatch 'em up!


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## ropedog (Mar 26, 2008)

For 20 bucks a pop I would pick them up and then figure out what to make later.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

I'd like to see how much figure is in them and go from there. 
Otherwise , the price sounds good to me. 
They sell burl by the pound around here , so depending on how green it is , it can be pretty pricey : )


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## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

They would be good for scrollsawing and pen making. Unstabilized (which means that no resin has been injected into the wood to make it harder and easier to turn) Maple burl pen blanks (3/4" x 3/4" x 5") usually go for about $2.50 each.


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## thedude50 (Aug 13, 2011)

if you get them ill buy them from you for 30 each serious offer ill have to have it freighted here


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## reggiek (Jun 12, 2009)

depends on size, inclusions, cracks or any other imperfections. $20 a pop isn't bad if they are fairly green, dont have alot of voids (open space) or any punk wood on them (burls sometimes get spalty as they oft times get overlooked by wood cutters (unless they know a good turner) and could sit on the ground for a while.

Based on the pics, which are a bit hard to see, I cannot tell whether they are sound or not. If all else fails though and they aren't good for turning - they would make some nice pens or some nice vaneer - so you couldn't lose by picking them up.


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## grittyroots (Jan 13, 2011)

i just scored about 15 pieces of spalted maple burl on the side of the road. the smallest is bigger than a 5 gallon bucket. i coated the grain ends with anchor seal (sort of a wax paint) so they dry more evenly.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

for 20 each I would take them all.


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## Maverick44spec (Aug 7, 2011)

*i just scored about 15 pieces of spalted maple burl on the side of the road. the smallest is bigger than a 5 gallon bucket. i coated the grain ends with anchor seal (sort of a wax paint) so they dry more evenly.*

Sounds like a good score. Better be careful doing that though. In some states, that is a felony unless you have the land owner's permission.


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## Elizabeth (Oct 17, 2009)

Thanks guys! I've arranged to see the seller this afternoon and intend to buy them all.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Atta girl !! : )


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## thedude50 (Aug 13, 2011)

liz can you sell me some please


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## Elizabeth (Oct 17, 2009)

Thedude50, I think I want to see them myself before I think about selling them to anyone else, but I am inclined to keep them at the moment. If I change my mind I will let you know.


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## grittyroots (Jan 13, 2011)

no mine are still in the backyard, just waiting for me to slow down enough to do something with them. Paris the owner helped me load them, but thanks for the info


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## Elizabeth (Oct 17, 2009)

Well, I got the wood! And it's much bigger than I thought it was.










In that picture, the tape measure is extended one foot. Each piece is at least 3 inches thick. A couple of them have some punky spots and they all have a few cracks - the one nearest the tape measure has some huge ones - but all in all I am very pleased with my purchase.

I have stacked them with stickers in the shop in case they need more drying time. The guy I bought them from said he got the a year ago and they've been in his garage since then but he wasn't sure if or how they'd been dried before that. He's not a woodworker and I forgot to ask him where he got them. He had planned to make them into speakers, he said.

Once my dust collection ducting installation is finished, I plan on taking the one with the most cracks and turning part of it into pen blanks, as it'll be too cracky for anything larger. I will choose one to save for when I get better at making bandsaw boxes. No plans for the others yet, but I don't intend to sell them at this time.


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## thedude50 (Aug 13, 2011)

my offer stands if you choose to sell any i want to make a box so even a half a piece would do me just fine for 35 dollars or we could trade for a nice smoother plane let me know liz and you should coat those so they don't crack to bits


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## Elizabeth (Oct 17, 2009)

Thedude50, maybe this guy can help you - he's selling pieces of walnut root burl. http://lumberjocks.com/topics/30573


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