Ash burr advice

[Woodmonkey]

I acquired this the other day

What would be the best orientation to turn it? It's such a natural bowl shape already, the instinct is to follow that shape, so the side where the branch is would be the inside. But I'm thinking the other way round keeping the natural edge of the burr might be better?
Also would you turn/ rough turn or just put it somewhere and try and forget about it for a year or two? (It's green)
Cheers

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

That's a bit of a personal choice I guess. For me I would also follow the natural bowl route given the shape its presenting. The grain of a burr is so highly figured that I think it speaks for itself so the natural edge is an also ran, hence I wouldn't be worried about a natural edge on that project.

Its got a real look of a brain hasn't it Very symmetrical burr, unusual.

I'm not sure about the drying. I've got quite a haul of oak burr and it doesn't seem to matter what drying process I've used it seems to go all leathery. It cracks in dozens of places as I guess the stresses of regular grain orientation just don't apply. The grain of my oak burr is totally unpredictable from one centimetre to the next. I've rough turned it, dried then finish turned and it cracked and went leathery. Turned it green, cracked and went leathery. Now I'm just letting them dry as long as I can naturally and they're cracking and going leathery on the outside!! That's after a year so far, air drying outside. Not sure what the answer to that is.

 

[woodfarmer]

It is the burr that is unusual. so in my mind it takes priority over everything else.

I would cut the log across each side of the burr then standing it on end cut down the log but above and missing the "ears" of the burr to give you somewhere to screw on a face plate. then turn the outside and leave a base with a mortice for a chuck. use the to cut the inside to remove the remains of the log so you only have burr left. Ending up with a bowl with "ears".

 

[Spindle]

Hi

I'd wait for the burr to be fully seasoned, then I'd chuck mount it at the branch and turn it into a roughly spherical hollow form allowing the natural shape of the burr to dictate the outcome.

Regards Mick

 

[Woodmonkey]

So that's 3 votes for that way round, no votes for natural edge?

 

[Dalboy]

I vote you send it to me to see what I can turn from it :lol: :lol: :lol: :twisted: :twisted:

It would be nice to see a natural edge from this. Look forward to seeing what you come up with :wink:

 

[swb58]

O/T sorry, but seeing the picture sent me googling for Ash bark. It's only now that I fully realise that there are different types of Ash which have different types of bark which goes to prove you're never too old to learn :roll:

I'm more than familiar with the smooth barked variety but have noted a patterned bark tree without understanding the difference.

So the smooth bark is Black Ash?

Back on topic, I'd do as others have said. When a lump of wood presents itself already bowl shaped you have to work with it.

 

[Grahamshed]

When a lump of wood presents itself already bowl shaped you have to work with it.

Says it all really

 

[EnErY]

I Have a tree full of silver birch burr and many are like the ones posted so after looking at your debate I think ill make a shed full of natural edged bowls but some are really big and need a little cutting
Regards
Bill

 

[leisurefix]

I would turn this with a natural edge, as I had a 'growth' from an Ash tree that was very similar to this, and it transpired that it had really boring grain and was not what I would call a burr. By the time I had realised this it was too late to reverse it and turn it with a natural edge.

If you have access to one, I would use a centre saver and cut multiple shallow bowls from it, so making a set of natural edge bowls.

I would also dry the timber in the microwave (about 1min on high and then leave to cool, repeat the process until the worst of the moisture has been removed, or until the bowl no longer loses (water) weight).

Regards, Andy

 

[duncanh]

Don't be too disappointed if the burr doesn't contain the typical burr figuring that you would expect if this was a piece of oak. I've turned a couple of ash burrs similar to this one and whilst the figuring was better than just plain ash, with several ripples running through them, there was no pipping and swirly grain that you'd expect from a burr. Apparently this is fairly common on ash burrs

 

[Mark Hancock]

Don't be too disappointed if the burr doesn't contain the typical burr figuring that you would expect if this was a piece of oak. I've turned a couple of ash burrs similar to this one and whilst the figuring was better than just plain ash, with several ripples running through them, there was no pipping and swirly grain that you'd expect from a burr. Apparently this is fairly common on ash burrs

I thought exactly the same when I saw the photo. There are non of the tell tale signs that would indicate burr figuring.

 

[Woodmonkey]

I did suspect that as well. The fact that it's so symmetrical suggests that it's probably more or less concentric growth rings inside. I think I will probably turn it green and possibly microwave as I'm running out of storage space at the moment. Ill post some pics of the inside when I turn it.