Field Maple

[pup]

Hi all,

I have access to two butts of Field Maple (~2ft diameter), recently blown over, and wanted to know if it's worth milling and if so, what kind of end products would it be good for? Indoor/outdoor. Structural/decorative.

 

I usually use oak, but have some beech, ash, sweet chestnut and hornbeam. I make stuff myself as a hobby, for myself and to sell.

 

Many thanks, Pup.

[agg221]

Potentially yes - it's hard and fine grained, decorative more than structural but more a 'blank canvas' than a highly figured timber - unless you hit lucky with burrs etc. Good for chopping boards and food related stuff like bowls and spoons.

 

Alec

[Daniël Bos]

I thought maple was used for strip-floor dance floors on account of being really hard wearing?

[delabodge]

good for bowl turning, like alec says you`ll be lucky to find some burr stuff,

[openspaceman]

I thought maple was used for strip-floor dance floors on account of being really hard wearing?

 

Yes and I think our parquet floor is imported american maple, which one I don't know.

[Rob D]

I milled some and thought it was ok.... then sanded it up and the boards made look really good.... well worth the effort.

 

 

It's very hard and as said very close grained... I'll try and put some pics up later.

[pup]

thank you all for the useful answers. I will be planking these next oppurtunity and will try to post my progress.

pup

[slackbladder]

Are there any burrs on the Maple

[pup]

So, I've now milled the field maple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's not very burred, but a few bits in there, I've been pleasantly surprised by the staining in the wood, although some rot at the base. The planks are all 2" thick through and through, just over 11' long and vary between 12" and 24" wide. They're sticked and stacked, and under cover.

 

 

 

I'm now looking forward to using them for table tops when they've dried, or, alt sell them.

[agg221]

If that stuff up the middle is hard then you have hit really lucky with some stunning grain there! I would be inclined to wykabor it if you haven't yet, to stabilise it from rotting, since the grain looks like it's spalting and it will stop it going further.

 

Alec