Burl for chess pieces
 

I am planning to make a chess set for my son. I am a pretty decent
(IMHO) turner both for bowls, and for repetitive spindle turning.

I am thinking of buying maple burl cap from Exoticburl.com for the
"white" pieces. I am thinking of getting some mesquite eye burl for the
"black" pieces. I am planning to use birdseye maple for the while squares,
and crotch walnut for the dark squares. I also have some cherry burl that I
can have sawn into 2x2 square stock for the dark pieces. I am considering
that as well.

I am planning on making a chess set that is not very intricate, but I am
concerned that the burl will be hard to turn any detail into. I obviously
will select burl pieces with little to no inclusions. I have turned some of
both of the above mentioned words, but for bowls, nothing else.

Any input is welcome

Thanks,
Brad Mularcik

On Fri, 05 Aug 2005 00:54:16 GMT, "Brad Mularcik"
wrote:


I am planning to make a chess set for my son. I am a pretty decent
(IMHO) turner both for bowls, and for repetitive spindle turning.

I am thinking of buying maple burl cap from Exoticburl.com for the
"white" pieces. I am thinking of getting some mesquite eye burl for the
"black" pieces. I am planning to use birdseye maple for the while squares,
and crotch walnut for the dark squares. I also have some cherry burl that I
can have sawn into 2x2 square stock for the dark pieces. I am considering
that as well.

I am planning on making a chess set that is not very intricate, but I am
concerned that the burl will be hard to turn any detail into. I obviously
will select burl pieces with little to no inclusions. I have turned some of
both of the above mentioned words, but for bowls, nothing else.

I've turned both Maple (Tiger and Bird's Eye) and Mesquite, and both
of them take detail superbly. The Mequite looks like burl even if you
get "regular" pieces, so you may be able to save some money by just
going with a standard blank for those. Couldn't tell you much about
Maple burl (I've been looking and looking for it, but they're not that
common in my stomping grounds) but if it's anything like other figured
maple, it'll turn nicely and take as much detail as you care to put
into it. Both woods are hard, and have good tight interlocking grain.
They polish to similar glassy shines even without a finish, too.
Good choices for a set! I'd think the Cherry would be a bit of a
mismatch, but YMMV.

Any input is welcome

Thanks,
Brad Mularcik

"Prometheus" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 05 Aug 2005 00:54:16 GMT, "Brad Mularcik"
wrote:


I am planning to make a chess set for my son. I am a pretty decent
(IMHO) turner both for bowls, and for repetitive spindle turning.

I am thinking of buying maple burl cap from Exoticburl.com for the
"white" pieces. I am thinking of getting some mesquite eye burl for the
"black" pieces. I am planning to use birdseye maple for the while
squares,
and crotch walnut for the dark squares. I also have some cherry burl that
I
can have sawn into 2x2 square stock for the dark pieces. I am considering
that as well.

I am planning on making a chess set that is not very intricate, but I
am
concerned that the burl will be hard to turn any detail into. I obviously
will select burl pieces with little to no inclusions. I have turned some
of
both of the above mentioned words, but for bowls, nothing else.

I've turned both Maple (Tiger and Bird's Eye) and Mesquite, and both
of them take detail superbly. The Mequite looks like burl even if you
get "regular" pieces, so you may be able to save some money by just
going with a standard blank for those. Couldn't tell you much about
Maple burl (I've been looking and looking for it, but they're not that
common in my stomping grounds) but if it's anything like other figured
maple, it'll turn nicely and take as much detail as you care to put
into it. Both woods are hard, and have good tight interlocking grain.
They polish to similar glassy shines even without a finish, too.
Good choices for a set! I'd think the Cherry would be a bit of a
mismatch, but YMMV.
===============
Brad,
I'll back up Prometheus on the Mesquite, as it's about equal to most exotics
for polish and detail. Also, there's almost no shrinkage on small pieces.
It's supposed to be the most stable hard wood in N. America. The only draw
back I'm aware of is the high silica content that wears tools quicker than
most woods. In maple, there's hard and soft(er) species. The harder takes
detail better than the soft. blanks sould be pretty pretty economical since
you don't need large pieces for your pieces. You can probably use pen blanks
for the pawns, and 1-1 1/2 inch spindle blanks for the remainder.

Ken Moon
Webberville, TX.

"Prometheus" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 05 Aug 2005 00:54:16 GMT, "Brad Mularcik"
wrote:
Couldn't tell you much about
Maple burl (I've been looking and looking for it, but they're not that
common in my stomping grounds) but if it's anything like other figured
maple, it'll turn nicely and take as much detail as you care to put
into it. Both woods are hard, and have good tight interlocking grain.
They polish to similar glassy shines even without a finish, too.
Good choices for a set!

Hard maple doesn't go much to burl. Most of what is out there commercially
is from the left coast broadleaf. Think I've had maybe three maple burls
delivered in twenty years, and I live in the midst of loggers. There's a
4x6-footer just off the right-of-way as I head south to the grocery store,
but I have this thing about private land.

On Fri, 5 Aug 2005 06:49:16 -0400, "George" George@least wrote:


"Prometheus" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 05 Aug 2005 00:54:16 GMT, "Brad Mularcik"
wrote:
Couldn't tell you much about
Maple burl (I've been looking and looking for it, but they're not that
common in my stomping grounds) but if it's anything like other figured
maple, it'll turn nicely and take as much detail as you care to put
into it. Both woods are hard, and have good tight interlocking grain.
They polish to similar glassy shines even without a finish, too.
Good choices for a set!

Hard maple doesn't go much to burl. Most of what is out there commercially
is from the left coast broadleaf. Think I've had maybe three maple burls
delivered in twenty years, and I live in the midst of loggers. There's a
4x6-footer just off the right-of-way as I head south to the grocery store,
but I have this thing about private land.

Yep. I wonder how those snaky-looking welts on the trunks of red
maple turns, though. Seems like there'd have to be *something* of
interest in the grain under those, but I hate to cut down a perfectly
healthy tree just to find out.

"Prometheus" wrote in message
...
Yep. I wonder how those snaky-looking welts on the trunks of red
maple turns, though. Seems like there'd have to be *something* of
interest in the grain under those, but I hate to cut down a perfectly
healthy tree just to find out.

They have to be of some vintage before you can turn 'em. Normally those
come from injury to the tree, and it takes time for them to close over. If
you're lucky, you can get either a fully healed to turn as bottom to show
wild grain, or open but healing turned up. The problem with the open one is
you have to be able to turn down to sound wood and still preserve your
unusual "rim." They, and birch blisters make beautiful work.

On Fri, 05 Aug 2005 20:46:36 -0500, Prometheus
wrote:


Yep. I wonder how those snaky-looking welts on the trunks of red
maple turns, though. Seems like there'd have to be *something* of
interest in the grain under those, but I hate to cut down a perfectly
healthy tree just to find out.

Nothing wrong with cutting a healthy tree to turn it. Heck, you'll
use it anyhow, won't you? Loggers cut 'em all the time. Cut a tree,
plant a new one, just like any other crop. It's not like you're going
to shoot a buffalo, take its tongue and leave the rest of it to rot.

I say, if it's on your property or you've got permission of the
landowner, cut it, turn it, enjoy it.
--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

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