How to Build Your Own Abstract Box
Understanding Natural Burl Configuration
Burls are valuable and hard to come by. They are much like tumors and occur as large growths on certain trees. I have some extraordinary maple and buckeye burls. A beautiful burl is very much like a precious stone or piece of rare marble. Buckeye, maple burl and redwood burl are logged and cut retaining the natural bark edge of the tree. There can be only one natural edge on any box of buckeye or maple burl. The degree and character of natural edges occurs randomly. It is important that you understand that when you request a natural edge, there is no way to describe what your piece will look like.
What are abstract puzzle boxes?
Generally speaking my abstract boxes are made from unusual pieces of burl wood such as maple burl, buckeye burl or redwood burl. Burl woods often have as a feature a natural edge that comes from a cut at the outside of the tree. In each burl there is a limited number of pieces with a natural edge. Shown below are examples of boxes with and without a natural edge. They are only representative of the box you may actually receive since each box is made from a one of a kind burl. Boxes that are square or rectangular in shape without a natural edge will be a reasonable facsimile of the piece that is pictured.
