The Church Oak Burl

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Here in the Piedmont of NC we are expecting a big time winter mess this after noon. Three to five inches of sleet/snow/freezing rain. It is 28° outside right now.

At any rate there was a big oak tree in the yard at the church my wife belongs to. Church has been there since the late 1800's, it was a big one but don't know how long it has been there. The tree was causing some kind of a problem, and needed to be removed. Three weeks ago my wife, who I have trained well, noticed that there was a huge burl on one of the limbs of the tree.

Then we found out that the tree was supposed to be taken down Friday.

She told the head guy that I was interested in that limb and would come and cut it off the tree if that was OK. He told her that someone else had already asked about it.

She made some more inquiry's about it and then.... shock of shocks. ...was told on Tuesday that the tree had already been taken down.

Last night we found out that the men's organization in the church had taken charge of the wood. They would likely do that for firewood at Christmas tree sales and other functions that they sponsor. The wood had been taken to one of the members farms to keep for the club.

This morning a call to the head of the club turned up that a tree service in a nearby town had been the one that cut the tree down and all that was kept was the trunk for firewood. Since the burl was about 12" in diameter and 3 ft. long there was a chance that it didn't go in the guys chipper but had been hauled to his tree dump. The tree
service guy was tracked down and he said that he had been told to save that burl and put it with the other wood that was saved. No idea who told him that.

Soooo.......the saga continues. Has the burl really been saved? Is it out on that farm in a pile of firewood? Will the other guy get it?

 

[Gregory Huey]

Sure hope you catch up with it. Sounds like one great piece of burl.

 

[dougle40]

Mac , what are you doing on the computer ?? Get out there and retreive that piece of wood and save it from possible destruction !!!! LOL

 

[Gary Max]

I like the part about --Wife hunts for wood.
Sounds like my house--of course here we fight over it or just share if there is enough????
My wife is also a woodworker and has her own shop.
Try buying tools for two shops---this gets in the wallet.
Or woodworkers that send my wife wood but forget me---go figure that out.
Sawmills always give the wife wood---WHY??????
I have to pay for mine.
Anyway I am getting sidetracked--Hope you find the burl.

 

[woodscavenger]

Where in NC are you? I am sitting at a computer at North Carolina Baptist hosptital in Winston-Salem. I am trying to figure out if I can drive home or if I am going to be stuck at the hospital. If you need a place to store one or two slabs of that burl that YOU WILL/MUST track down let me know.[]

 

[Fred in NC]

I am in the Southern part of NC, near the SC border. Had a little sleet and snow. It has cleared quite a bit in the last 1/2 hour.

Mac, make sure you get some of that burl !! Maybe the church members will buy pens made with it.

My LOMF is a woodworker too. However, her thing is carving, and uses mostly basswood. Not much competition from her!

 

[Guest]

Three weeks ago my wife, who I have trained well, noticed that there was a huge burl on one of the limbs of the tree.

You could have borrowed my ladder three weeks ago.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

The church is in High Point, NC in the down town area. I could not just go and take the burl, get arrested for that kind of thing. The preacher had said that a church member had asked for it some time ago. I have no idea what he wanted it for or if he is still interested. The preacher would have had to given me permission to take it. You don't muck around with those Episcopalians. Now I got to charm the mens group and see if I can get it or part of it and also see if there was more than one burl.

 

[jwoodwright]

That's a lot of wood they didn't keep. Too bad you can't get hold of at least some of the old oak...[:I]

 

[woodscavenger]

Offer them some slimlines in trade.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Originally posted by woodscavenger
<br />Offer them some slimlines in trade.

Ahh......Offer them Slimlines......My bride has promised the Good Reverend a pen (no charge) and "as many other pens as could be made, if anyone wants one", she did, at lease say for the cost of the pen kits and labor.

I have an order placed with BB for some Barrons and other kits, just in case this comes through.

Woodscavenger, did you get my private message?

 

[bajacrazy]

Sure hope you find this burl[8D]