Thread: Logs wanted in Perth

Originally Posted by Arry

Hi

Munuka Jock suggested I try in this section rather than in the General Forum.

I am making two burl coffee tables and I am thinking of using some type of logs as the legs / stands.

Can anyone help me out. I am in Perth by the way.

In terms of style, when using logs and burls, the borderline between looking tolerable and downright hillbilly is about half a gnats whisker so personally I'd suggest staying away from logs.

But, if you have already set yourself on using logs it now depends what you mean by a log.

To me a log is a tree trunk 450 mm+ in diameter but four or those as legs on a coffee table is gonna look more feral than even hillbilly, so I assume you mean something around the 100 mm mark? If so I call these branches.

This stuff usually gets chipped or burned or cut up as firewood. I'd suggest contacting a tree lopper or look around your neighborhood before the next council pickup. Finding something dry will be harder - maybe one of the local millers can pick out something from their next fall.

Thanks for the tip but I meant 1 log per burl coffee table, ie so the log was in the center of the burl. Reckon that would look ok?

Originally Posted by Arry

Thanks for the tip but I meant 1 log per burl coffee table, ie so the log was in the center of the burl. Reckon that would look ok?

I'm still not sure what size log you have in mind. Some people might like the idea, but to me it would look like someone had put a piece of burl on top of a piece of firewood. That aside it won't cost you much to pick up a firewood round and place the burl on top and see what it looks like

Making burls into furniture, or for that matter into anything, is really hard work. I have two burls in my back yard and after two years of listening they aren't telling me what they want to be. One of the easier uses of burl is pens or inlays in cabinets - trying to make something out of even part of the shape is difficult.