> Birch is a bit denser than cedar, spruce, or redwood, but it is a
> beautiful wood. (And it's still lighter than most mahogany, oak, maple,
> and walnut)

> I think sawyers figure that wood dries at a rate of 1" per year. If
> you were to saw the tree into 1" planks, you'd have to let them
> air-dry for 6 months (1/2" drying from each side).

> The Lapps make a traditional drinking cup called a kuksa from birch
> burls--It has been used hundreds of years by the people of Lapland,
> Finland. It is still very popular among outdoors people. My brother
> brought me back one from his summer trip to Finland--I'd love to make
> another for my wife--let me know if you have any "interesting"
> burls in that tree you might sell me. I could also send you a sketch or
> dimensions if you'd like to try carving one. Birch has such beautiful
> grain patterns and the kuksa really highlights them.

> here are a couple more image links:
> http://www.lappia-tradehouse.fi/collection/kuva-5.jpg
> http://www.polarcraft.net/prod/2rl.jpg
> http://www.polarcraft.net/prod/1rl.jpg Roland Jay is right birch would be a bad choice, From close to 30 years in woodworking I can say with on hesitation that it is not only much heaver then the oaks , same as hard maple and much heaver than walnut. The Birch growes in a twist, it follows the sun every day and creates even in the strightest piece a wood that likes to move , the expansion and contraction with moistuer is great.

The reason that the people in Finlad, Norway , ect. use burles to make cups and other trend, is that the burl has no real grain orentation, its a mass of fibers growing around and thru its self and is very stable, thou when drying may move a lot. Burch burls from the Canadian North West would work well. You would need to ruff it out and let it dry and then finish carving it. Birch from Northen states like Main and Vermont would work well.