Preserving Roting Wood

[jcullum]

I have come across a tree in my woods that has a huge knot in the middle of it. I think there is a proper word for what this is but I do not know it. I is simply a huge ball in the middle of this tree about 4 feet in diameter. I would love to use the ball as a base for a wood duck mount. I am sure that I could strip the bark and use the hard wood, but I really want to keep the bark and moss that is on it.

Is there any way to preserve what is there, or do I have to strip it off and recreate it? Any advice is appreciated, I have no experience with this at all.

[Ross Vogler]

ttt

It's called a burl.
Preserving

[Bud Evans]

Yes it is called a burrel and some call it a bunyon same thing.  I have sawed alot of these the grain is very figured  most of the time they have rotten spots or bark pockets in them some times it just adds to the character I cut a white birch one time that looked like a 3-D post card the grain had rays in it. If you want the bark to stay on you have to cut the tree up when it is in the dormant stage winter time and its only then will the bark stay on. If you have any other questions feel free to give me a call or anybody else as far as that goes. 715-478-5722  Bud

[jcullum]

You say as long as the tree is in the dormant stage the bark will not come off, do I have to worry about the current temperature, or does it just have to be this time of year? Do I have to add anything to the bark to preserve it? How long can I expect it to stay on? Will it have any effect if I were to cut the sphere in half? Thanks again for the info.

[734Lumber]

Buds right.  during the winter months you can get the bark to stay on the piece thats cut.  not to sure where your from but here in the upper peninsula if you want a bar top with the bark on the edge you usually cut in a few months into winter.  then make sure you get it kiln dried.  once you get it back to help from the bark getting chipped off i would spray a polyurthine coat over it a time or two.  that should help. 

[jcullum]

Im from northern Maryland, so come next January Ill bring it in. Ill try and post pictures as it comes along. Thanks for the help.