Replies

1. 
   BruceS | Jul 25, 2007 08:36pm | #1

   I have bumped into some "soft" red maple that looks like yours.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S. 

    

2. 
   colebearanimals | Jul 25, 2007 11:05pm | #2

   That was my guess as well. Looks like soft maple. Although I've seen coloring like that before I've never seen it that even and over so many pieces.

                                                 Paul

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/25/2007 4:07 pm ET by colebearanimals

3. 
   citrouille | Jul 26, 2007 01:25am | #3

   It would help to know where this lumber comes from.
   For example if it was harvested in Mississippi or Missouri or even further south, it could be silver leaf maple growing in low land.

   C.

1. 
   Woodspawn | Jul 26, 2007 01:39am | #4

   "It would help to know where this lumber comes from.For example if it was harvested in Mississippi or Missouri or even further south, it could be silver leaf maple growing in low land.

   C."

   Understood, unfortunatly there is no way for me to know.  As far as I know it came from a mill in Missouri. But even still that might not be totaly accruate

   I found similar Maple pics today on the internet, the only thing is there isnt nearly as many "squigly" lines on it. Ill see if I cant find it and attach it here.

   Now as for "Soft" Maple, is that still concedered a hardwood?

    

    

   Thanks agian

   -Mike

1. 
   jimmy | Jul 26, 2007 01:45am | #5

   Got a much smaller chunk of maple just like that from my firewood pile...know its maple cause of the bark...resawed it and made a couple of little boxes.  Beautiful stuff.  Like I said looked just like yours.  Jimmy...

   RIP Jon Arno...

   Edited 7/25/2007 6:46 pm ET by Jimmy

1. 
   DHAM | Jul 26, 2007 03:50am | #6

   Soft maple.

2. 
   citrouille | Jul 26, 2007 04:18am | #7

   Soft maple is only called "soft" as opposed to "hard" maple.
   It's as hard as cherry and in my opinion is very pleasant to work with.
   If it is indeed soft maple you have a quite unusual figure, it looks quite attractive , judging by the pictures.C.

4. 
   jhounshell | Jul 26, 2007 04:26am | #8

   No doubt, soft maple. Just bought some a few weeks ago that looks just like it.

   Jeff

5. 
   bones | Jul 26, 2007 06:54pm | #9

   I'll go with soft maple as well. 

   Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:
   If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it.
   And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
   
1. 
   Woodspawn | Jul 31, 2007 05:10am | #10

   Wow, I guess Ill go with the majority vote here and call it Soft Maple, Thanks agian for all of the input, I look foward to more discussions with all of in in the future...

   -Mike

6. 
   KelsoChris | Jul 31, 2007 05:35am | #11

   I have been seeing small patches of that in hard and soft maple here in the bootheel for a while.  What part of Missouri did your grandfather live in ?  I wonder if maybe he got a bargain on some cull boards from a local mill or kiln.  With maple cabinets gaining in popularity the last several years the emphasis is on fairly clear stock an I can see a grader culling that for uneven grain pattern or not being clear enough for commercial sale.

7. 
   derwood144 | Aug 01, 2007 06:25pm | #12

   I had some wood several years ago that grew in a swampy area from the same part of the country that was sold to me as "River Birch". This looks just like it.

8. 
   Gittercritter | Aug 02, 2007 02:18pm | #13

   Hi,

   I live just outside St. Louis and have seen and used maple like that, the local mill calls the swirling streaks "mineral steaks". I believe its from red maple grown in iron rich soils.

1. 
   KeithNewton | Aug 02, 2007 02:46pm | #14

   Those color streaks were caused by insects that were burrowing in the bark just above the cambium layer. They were not actually getting to the wood, but their tunnels were allowing more air than is normal to get to the sap which oxidized the minerals in it. You are right about it being called "mineral streaks". That is assuming that you left the R out of streaks.Take away the streaks, and it looks like maple to me.

9. 
   KeithNewton | Aug 02, 2007 02:57pm | #15

   I posted to you by mistake to Gittercritter, then went back and looked at some of the bottom photos in your list which were closer shots, and it appears that some of the streaks may actually be tunnels in the wood filled with frass, but most were living in the bark just outside of the wood.

   If you looked closely with higher magnification, you can see that the squiggles are not actually aligned with the cell structure.