Fireplace Bellows ~Burl Flame~
Years ago, when Roy did a brief stint operating a sawmill, he cut a large Douglas fir log that had a huge burl on it. He has been hoarding pieces of this burl for years, and pulls it out whenever he thinks it can add something special to the piece he's creating. (For another example of this, take a look at the custom Douglas Fir Burl Wall Clock we made for the fellow Roy was cutting the log for.) The mottled appearance and orange color of the burl seem very flamelike, and we thought it would add something special to this bellows.
Recently, a friend gave Roy a cherry burl to add to his collection. He used a piece of this burl to create our latest burl flame bellows.
Our original burl flame fireplace bellows is made from quilted birch and Douglas fir burl. Along with the cherry burl, our new burl flame bellows is made of flame birch. We finish the wood with shellac, a natural finish that has been used for centuries.
Like all of our bellows, the bag consists of 2-3 ounce leather, very supple and able to produce a strong draft. We build the bellows with a strong steel hinge (covered by the leather) for dependability and a long life. The nozzle is brass. They come with a rawhide lace tied to the handle, making them easy to display. They measure approximately 20-1/4" long, 7-3/8" wide, 5" deep when open, and 2" deep when closed.