Replies

1. 
   treeguy | Jun 07, 2006 04:40am | #1

   Sounds like you might have purchased silver maple.  It is a fast growing tree both in height and diameter, which means it will probably move alot when you mill it.  And I think it gets fuzzy when you sand it.  If it is what i think it is i, personally would return it and get something else. 

2. 
   JeffHeath | Jun 07, 2006 05:59am | #2

   James

   Silver maple is a soft maple, but is still pretty darn hard, and very usable.  I have used it very often, as silver maple is extremely abundant in the midwest.  It machines and sands well, and works well with sharp tools.  It will move, as maple is prone to do, so allow for it.  When milled, brown streaks are often found in the lumber.  If you have some nice, clear boards, then use them.  Many times, alot of figure can be found in the species.

   Jeff

1. 
   highfigh | Jun 07, 2006 08:46am | #3

   I was told by someone in sales at Kettle Moraine Hardwoods that Sugar Maple is hard maple and everything else is soft maple. That being the case, silver maple will definitely yield some very wide boards with varying color. If the one in front of my house dies, I'm having a friend mill it into some nice stock. It should come out to ~500 bf.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Jun 07, 2006 04:50pm | #4

   Black maple is also a hard maple.For the poster of this thread, silver maple is a great wood, actually better than bigleaf in some regards. It's commonly used in furniture so you have some good lumber there.Lee

1. 
   citrouille | Jun 08, 2006 02:29pm | #5

   I agree with you, silver leaf is probably more interesting color wise as well.
   I use quite a lot of soft maple, I wish silver leaf would be more readily available here.
   Not fuzzy at all.C.

2. 
   Daggs | Jun 08, 2006 06:12pm | #7

   Are you from near Fond du Lac?

1. 
   highfigh | Jun 08, 2006 06:16pm | #8

   I'm in the Milwaukee area and was talking with one of the people at the Franklin store.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

3. 
   cscwem | Jun 08, 2006 04:21pm | #6

   i've made several pieces with silver maple as a secondary wood.  and one client liked the way it looked so much that he asked ne to make a pair of 6' cd towers using silver maple as the primary wood.  I found some pieces that had really spectacular quilting and they turned out very nice.  it machines well.  I did not notice any excessive mevement.  you will probably find lots of figure when you start planing it, and some tan to grey color variations.

   nice wood, lots of charachter, yes it is somewhat soft, but about the same as other soft maples. 

   i look forward to any oportunity to try working with a new species at least once.