Interesting Maple but is it worth Harvesting?

[Endless Pursuit]

One of these days I will be moving from my current property to a place with fewer trees. Below are pics of a maple that intrigues me. I am taking several more logs to Scott Smith to have sawn and dried and was thinking about taking this one as well. I'm thinking about cutting the butt log into turning blanks that I'd seal for future use and take 2 logs from the upper trunk for boards. Not sure if this would be classified as a bunch of small burls or cankers but it would seem to have some potential for good figuring.

Thoughts, suggestions?

 

[red]

Me, I would cut it and see what you got. I like working with interesting types of wood. Post some pics when you drop it. Enjoy.

Red

 

[sawman101]

That tree is a gold mine of maple burls! It is a turners dream come true.

 

[Bear Republic]

gnarly!!! looks like lots of potential, never know til till you get into it, but definitely worth it

 

[CrealBilly]

Ugly trees make the best lumber in my opinion. Perfect lumber is boring!

 

[Endless Pursuit]

That tree is a gold mine of maple burls! It is a turners dream come true.

I was thinking along those same lines. Since I am Lathless at the moment and cannot rough out blanks if I drop the tree, a friend suggested "storing it on the stump" and should I sell this property, exclude it from the sale with a caveat that I can return in the future and harvest it when I'm ready. I like that idea.

Thanks folks!

 

[Jeff]

I was thinking along those same lines. Since I am Lathless at the moment and cannot rough out blanks if I drop the tree, a friend suggested "storing it on the stump" and should I sell this property, exclude it from the sale with a caveat that I can return in the future and harvest it when I'm ready. I like that idea.

Thanks folks!

A few thoughts from another latheless nomad. I'd be tempted to take the tree sooner rather than later if it were mine.

1. What is the diameter of the tree about 4' above the ground and is pic #1 that butt portion? Thinking potential saw logs/figured boards here and what Scott would suggest for a red maple (Acer rubrum, soft maple) with lots of fairly small burls. :icon_scra

2. How straight is the upper section (2 saw logs x 8' each?) for lumber?

3. You could chain saw burl chunks from the lower portion, remove the bark, and coat them in SealCoat pending your crossover to the dark side of lathes. Or sell those burls and retire with a nice nest egg!

 

[Jeff]

My visual impression of the burls is that they're fairly small but the figure may change once you get inside the trunk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-kMo9W095E