Working with Burl - Cracks, Inclusions, and Hidden Hazards

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Hukk
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Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:04 am

Working with Burl - Cracks, Inclusions, and Hidden Hazards

Post by Hukk »

I have this nice Redwood Burl - Beautiful stuff, Old Growth Redwood LACE BURL and it's RARE and hard to find this nice. It's an absolutely gorgeous piece.....see the potential, look at the next to last picture........the sanded piece. I had my camera in the shop for some reason.....that never happens. :lol: :lol: :lol:

BUT, it's full of cracks, dry maybe 60 years or so, and it needs a little help. As far as cracks go - this one is stable but looks as bad as you can get. It's up to the knifemaker to use his/her talents and knowledge to make this look the best as you can. I've been working with wood forever I think and we can make this one look great. I had no idea what it looked like when I cut it in half.......despite the cracks.......I really like this piece, actually looks killer to me and I bet the guy that gets this one when its finished. :D :D

It has been stabilized because Redwood is far to soft to use - even the burl will have hard and soft spots - What to do? :mrgreen: Stabilizing is a good start because it helps keep it together and the wood is now more evenly hard. Stabilized by WSSI.

Here's how I started today.

First.... some beautiful Old Growth Redwood LACE BURL beautiful if you know what to do, a mess if you don't.

Well first I need to collect something to fill the cracks, so I will place a cloth as a filter in my vacuum line - between the exhaust port of the 4 x 36 sander and the big shop vac I have.

This knife handle will come out just fine, I'll show a finished picture(s) when I'm done. I can also provide more info (411) as I go if anyone would like to see it.

Please read the picture comments as the comment with the pictures seem to make more sense to me anyway. ::tu:: ::tu::
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Stabilized Old Growth Redwood LACE BURL just cut by my bandsaw and of course - bookmatched!
Stabilized Old Growth Redwood LACE BURL just cut by my bandsaw and of course - bookmatched!
P7040004.JPG (73.83 KiB) Viewed 1856 times
Cloth used as a filter to catch redwood burl dust, my biggest port is at the hose input of the vacuum.
Cloth used as a filter to catch redwood burl dust, my biggest port is at the hose input of the vacuum.
P7040008.JPG (62.84 KiB) Viewed 1855 times
Exhaust Port of the 4 x 36 and it sure keeps the dust down if it is used! I ALWAYS use a dust collection system. I use a shop vac (boy its a big one - draws 12.5 amps) but a dust collection system can be had for as little as $200 and a little less.
Exhaust Port of the 4 x 36 and it sure keeps the dust down if it is used! I ALWAYS use a dust collection system. I use a shop vac (boy its a big one - draws 12.5 amps) but a dust collection system can be had for as little as $200 and a little less.
P7040011.JPG (76.43 KiB) Viewed 1853 times
By Golly, if sanding down the saw cut marks can make it look this good I have a chance of making this look......STUNNING! Compare with the first picture!
By Golly, if sanding down the saw cut marks can make it look this good I have a chance of making this look......STUNNING! Compare with the first picture!
P7040014.JPG (74.8 KiB) Viewed 1854 times
I emptied the dust cloth at the vacuum 4 times to collect enough dust to use as filler material later on. I will mix it with a thin epoxy or a Cyanoacrylate that does not dry real fast to fill all the cracks in the wood. The end result should look similar to the sanded scales.
I emptied the dust cloth at the vacuum 4 times to collect enough dust to use as filler material later on. I will mix it with a thin epoxy or a Cyanoacrylate that does not dry real fast to fill all the cracks in the wood. The end result should look similar to the sanded scales.
Hukk
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carvin don
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Re: Working with Burl - Cracks, Inclusions, and Hidden Hazards

Post by carvin don »

That sure is a Beautiful piece of wood with lots of potential. Can't wait to see the finished product. ::tu:: ::tu::
Don
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4ever3
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Re: Working with Burl - Cracks, Inclusions, and Hidden Hazards

Post by 4ever3 »

Beautiful pieces of wood Hukk, and a killer idea on the cloth in the shop vac ::tu::
Got Sowbelly's ?

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Hukk
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Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:04 am

Re: Working with Burl - Cracks, Inclusions, and Hidden Hazards

Post by Hukk »

Thanks, thats a trick I've been using for years. The T-Shirt material I have in there is a bit thick because that's a very powerful shop vac, one less powerful I would use thinner material.

What I'm trying to do is capture the finest wood dust because with that shirt in there the vacuum suction is very weak. So, I'm capturing the smallest particles - the dust particles that are fine enough to fit into the smallest cracks of that wood. The dust I'm capturing will match the wood 100% when mixed with an adhesive - years ago they used laquer and mixed it with sawdust. Primarily it's a trick from furniture makers. Well, whatever works - then try and improve it. :mrgreen:

The dust I have collected in that bag is actually very powdery - very fine particles and I know it's actually finer than I need, but thats OK! ::tu::
Hukk
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keithlong
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Re: Working with Burl - Cracks, Inclusions, and Hidden Hazards

Post by keithlong »

Hey Hukk
I am a woodworker myself, worked up a lot of red cedar over the years and I used the saw dust trick to fill in those unseen cracks in the wood. I mixed mine with lacquer, mainly because I used lacquer for the finish and it worked great. Post a pic of the finished product for us to see.
KeithLLong

It does not cost any more to carry a sharp knife than it does to carry a dull knife
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Hukk
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Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:04 am

Re: Working with Burl - Cracks, Inclusions, and Hidden Hazards

Post by Hukk »

I'll do that. ::tu:: ::tu:: I have not gotten back to that project yet. It's mine so its on the back burner. I have a bunch of sheaths going at the moment - I need to get back to those tomorrow and put a couple new filters and an oiler with regulators. The polycarbonate bowl broke on one and they don't make that model in 160 psi any more. So, with tanks in series I will have 140, 90, and 40 psi - just by chosing the correct coupler. Use a couple inline regulators and I will be done!
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