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[tinybr]

hi guys, been awhile, got a few questions for you.
i never hear or see anyone turning oak burls, why, or why not?
i have turned several that are absolutly beautiful, multi colored gems, and hickory as well. is there a problem with these woods that nobody turns them? the reason im asking is i might have acess to an oak burl that might(if im lucky) fit in the back of my truck(full sized dodge)i may have to chunck it out to get it in, and i dont want it if its crappy wood for blanks. please respond, this is time sensitive! thank you tiny

 

[Gary Max]

Richard I cut up a large oak burl last year that I am still making pens from. I have made a huge platter several small bowls and about 50 pens from it so far. Oh I almost forgot about the monster slab table. It seens like Oak just ain't what turners are looking for but I sure can sell the heck out of it.

 

[tinybr]

hey gary, every one that i have turned, has had beautiful blacks, greys, greens and reads, pinks, even a hint of some purples occasionally, and im just wondering if its a grain thing, or a longevity thing or what. i havent seen a prettier blank out there yet, you cant buy them that nice(color wise) and all the grain im getting is tight, not like normal oak grain. and it has multiple swirls of grain and color too. i just dont understand?

 

[Gary Max]

If you look at the Other things we Make forum-----you can see a pic of the large Red Oak Burl platter that I turned---it's back in the tread a couple of pages. I sell more pens from local wood, than the fancy store bought blanks.

 

[tinybr]

i saw some things from oak there, but no pens, i would love for someone more experianced to tell me why here. i do alot with farmers around here, and they let me have "trashwood", crab apple and other brush wood, and i always make them a pen from what i take from their fence rows, and they love them, got an order for 12 pens from one guy for thorn apple after he saw his pen. locust looks just like desert iron wood, (and smells like it too), im wondering if they are marketing wood under other names regionally? i have found many look alikes in my area, and just dont know about them. will they crack, are they a good stable color will they look as good tommorrow as they do today?

 

[desert1pocket]

It sounds like you have a great find there. I think one of the reasons you don't see more of it in turnings, is lack of availability rather than any problem with the wood. If there were a supplier offering oak burl blanks I'm sure you would see plenty of oak burl pens. I have not turned any of it, but have done quite a bit of flatwork with it, and never had any serious problems. I do remember it being prone to some checking and cracking as it dried, so I might cut the blanks a little long in anticipation of this, and make extra sure that it's dry before using it. Almost any burl is prone to some movement as its worked, even if it's completely dry, but there are ways to minimize it. I would love to see some pics when you make some pens out of it.

 

[tinybr]

i have turned many, but they seel as fast as i turn them. the last 2 were sold before they left the lathe, i cant keep them, and i have always told these people that im not sure how these pens will "hold up" for lack of a better term, because there doesnt seem to be any research done on this subject. as of yesterday that 1st oak pen i turned is still intact, and no cracks or blemishes, but its only been 4 months

 

[tinybr]

and what about the "look alikes", any thoughts on them?

 

[desert1pocket]

Originally posted by tinybr
<br />i saw some things from oak there, but no pens, i would love for someone more experianced to tell me why here. i do alot with farmers around here, and they let me have "trashwood", crab apple and other brush wood, and i always make them a pen from what i take from their fence rows, and they love them, got an order for 12 pens from one guy for thorn apple after he saw his pen. locust looks just like desert iron wood, (and smells like it too), im wondering if they are marketing wood under other names regionally? i have found many look alikes in my area, and just dont know about them. will they crack, are they a good stable color will they look as good tommorrow as they do today?

Many woods have mulltiple names regionaly, and there could be some woods being marketed under different names in different areas. Desert ironwood is not one of these, as it is very distinctive in it's working properties, and only grows in a tiny section of the world. There may be woods that look similar, but if you've ever worked with it, you know there is no other wood like it. As far as color stability, only time will tell, but if you dry the blanks properly you should not have any cracking problems using your local woods.

 

[Gary Max]

I sell them as-----The Mighty Oak----if they are dry when you start---Oak makes a very good pen. Right now the best selling wood pen I make is walnut burl. Just sent ten out the door yesterday.

 

[tinybr]

all the stuff im taking is dead, and has been for at least a year, so drying shouldnt be a problem for trash wood, as it only gets 6 to 8 inches at the most in diameter, but most of it you can only get maybe 10 blanks per tree

 

[desert1pocket]

Originally posted by tinybr
<br />and what about the "look alikes", any thoughts on them?

Osage orange = hedge apple or brush apple

I have also seen a variety of ipe sold as "ironwood", but this is not to be confused with desert ironwood.

 

[Gary Max]

Richard one of the things I do with wood like you are talking about----I resaw it into oversized pen blanks and stack them up in little piles and let them sit for a couple of weeks. Every once in awhile they will do some real strange twisting and cracking. So a little air flow and a couple of weeks helps the wood ajust. I have little piles of wood stacked up everywhere in my shop. I did start lableing the wood so I could remember what each pile is----LOL. Must be part of getting old.[]

 

[tinybr]

thorn apple, its pink, and if you get a burl or a crotch, you get some brilliant reds and whites, i think its a cousin to crabapple, but not sure. lilac is also beautiful if you get the root!purple orange red and many other colors. i tried to get an elderberry tree, but the farmer wouldnt let that one go.

 

[ctEaglesc]

One of the reasons you don't see common woods listed is they don't sound"exotic" enough.
Red mallee burl from Saustralia sounds more expensive than an oak burl found in a firewood pile.
I believe all woods are beautiful.
Personally I like to combine what I consider "common" woods that are"plain looking" into my own blanks creating patterns with textures and color.
Extic blanks could be used but it is difficult and expensive to find wood in nominal working sizes oterh than pen blanks.
Cut your burl up into over sized slabs and do a search on micrwave drying.Nuke them and cut to size and turn them.

 

[TAld]

Rich
Would you please post a few pics of your pens (made from the oak).
I live in Florida and we have large oaks fall everytime the wind blows. I just might have to buy a chainsaw []