I have a 200 year-old Persimmon burl ball that weighs over a ton, and this page documents my plans to create a pair of custom made burl wood art deco club chairs, using the wood from the tree ball.

Cutting the burl slabs

The plan is to clean-up the ancient persimmon stump, using a chain saw to cut out six slabs, which will be shaped and finished into an art deco club chair.  The burl slabs will be used for the side and back pieces, (and trim along the bottom), with custom-made plush leather cushions for the seat and back.

I also want two slices from the trunk end of the stump, highly polished to show the rings, mounted on the back panel of each chair.

There will be three large slabs, plus a small strip at the front-bottom, and the pieces will be cut to roughly these sizes, ro replicate a 1930's art deco club chair:

Samples of hand made art deco club chairs

• The store American Craftsman in Manhattan (60 W 50th St
  New York) has some amazing handcrafted burl wood furniture.
   

• The site ChairWolf shows examples of custom crafted burl chairs.

Chair design (c) 2008 by Donald K. Burleson - All rights reserved