OK, how about big leaf maple?

Kevin McGovern

Kevin McGovern

Joined
Jul 31, 2015
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Here's a table that I think would look better cut up into blocks. It's big leaf maple burl. I don't know the exact dimensions, but I'd estimate maybe 24"+ in diameter and 2 inches thick? What do you think?


burl1.jpg burl2.jpg burl3.jpg
 
Heck yeah if I found that for a bargain on CL I'd already be sawing.
 
I had planned on looking at it on my way to Ashokan. But perhaps I should try to get it before and cut it into blocks to take up to Ashokan. Even unstablilized, i don't think I'd have to sell that many blocks to pay for it.
 
Big leag maple is too soft to use without stabilizing, but anyone buying it for a knife probably would know that.
 
Willie71 said:
Big leag maple is too soft to use without stabilizing, but anyone buying it for a knife probably would know that.
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yes, I would stabilize any blocks for my use. I just wouldn't have time to get them done for this piece if I want to take it to Ashokan.
 
Nice looking chunk o wood, a lot of scales in there!
 
My mistake. It's red maple. The guy selling it is an arborist. He says he finds stuff like this from time to time. I gave him my card. ..IMG_20170925_142615185.jpg
 
Interesting dilemma. Looks like an interesting piece of furniture which holds value to many who collect so I'd think you'd have to weigh the resale value vs. what you can get out it. I'm lucky to have the other side of the coin in that my brother is a fine furniture maker. It would probably give him a heart attack him to hear of blacksmiths cutting up furniture for scales. He has been pulling aside tiger oak, walnut, cherry and redwood burl scraps and cuts them into scales for me. His furniture pieces more than pay for the lumber and he can cut me off the scraps in between projects.
 
danhowl said:
Interesting dilemma. Looks like an interesting piece of furniture which holds value to many who collect so I'd think you'd have to weigh the resale value vs. what you can get out it. I'm lucky to have the other side of the coin in that my brother is a fine furniture maker. It would probably give him a heart attack him to hear of blacksmiths cutting up furniture for scales. He has been pulling aside tiger oak, walnut, cherry and redwood burl scraps and cuts them into scales for me. His furniture pieces more than pay for the lumber and he can cut me off the scraps in between projects.
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It wasn't old, and it had a bit of a bow. Since it didn't have any sentimental value, I just rearranged it a bit. IMG_20170925_171506281.jpg
 
Still a work in progress. I sent most of the girl to k&g. I stabilized a few blocks myself. They turned out very well. Full penetration confirmed as I split one for these scales. This is an 8" chef in AEB-L 62rc. IMG_20171017_190333781.jpg IMG_20171017_190327071.jpg
 
i think that s how w get a lot of our wood. Pretty pieces too small for anything else else, cut offs, hidden nuggets inside big plain pieces of lumber, etc. I have seen more than one 8-12 foot long maple board that had a 6-12 inch long wild patch of curl at one end.
 
jdm61 said:
i think that s how w get a lot of our wood. Pretty pieces too small for anything else else, cut offs, hidden nuggets inside big plain pieces of lumber, etc. I have seen more than one 8-12 foot long maple board that had a 6-12 inch long wild patch of curl at one end.
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This was a coffee table I got on FB. So I knew what I was getting. I do have a bunch of crazy curly maple from a stump i've been taking blocks out of in my front yard. That's like Christmas every time I cut a chunk out of it.

Here's a piece I cut yesterday. Keep in mind, the face you see here was cut with a chainsaw, so it's far from a clean cut. When I see figure like this in a rough cut, I'm happy.

IMG_20171015_143929719.jpg
 
Flooring offcuts can be surprisingly nice at times. I found a bunch of fiddle back walnut in the form of old flooring a while back.
 
I’ve used up most of the leftover Brazilian tigerwood from when my parents renovated 8 years ago. I have one piece with a nice curl in it. :cool:
 
jdm61 said:
i think that s how w get a lot of our wood. Pretty pieces too small for anything else else, cut offs, hidden nuggets inside big plain pieces of lumber, etc. I have seen more than one 8-12 foot long maple board that had a 6-12 inch long wild patch of curl at one end.
Click to expand...


I look at the poplar firewood as I chop it. I come across some nice spalting and curl quite regularily. I’m drying some elm Burl from a tree cut from my Uncle’s yard too.
 
just a head's up. When I get the bulk of this stuff back from K&G, I plan on selling just enough of it to cover my costs. I had them do blue, red, green and clear. I'll post some in the for sale area when I get it back.
 
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