Flame maple is especially popular in guitars, and has been for decades. Generally, the process includes
cutting the maple to shape
, forming it if necessary through mold-warping and applying a clear coat or lacquer to protect the finish, and ensure the wood holds its shape.
Where does flame maple come from?
Flame maple is found only in
a small percentage of maple trees
and the really eye-popping examples come from less than one percent. Most people do not realize that the flame is not the actual grain pattern of the wood.
What causes figured maple?
While there’s some debate about what causes wood to become figured, we know what causes spalting- specifically,
a fungus
. Spalting can happen in almost any wood species, but it’s mostly found in maple. When the ends of a freshly-cut log are exposed to moisture, a fungus can find its way inside the log and begin to eat.
Is flamed maple natural?
Beautiful,
natural hardwood
Prized for its beautiful appearance, it is used frequently in the manufacturing of musical instruments, such as violins and bassoons, and fine furniture. Tiger Maple is very workable with both hand tools and machinery, taking well to glues and finishing.
How does curly maple form?
Dave Hurwitz describes curly maple: “
If the tree grew tall and straight, the resulting grain will be straight and consistent
, which makes it easier to plane flat and easier to cut. But, some tress grow in places or in conditions that cause the resulting grain to not be straight. An extreme example is curly maple.
What causes birdseye maple?
It has a distinctive pattern that resembles tiny, swirling eyes disrupting the smooth lines of grain. … Research into the cultivation of bird’s eye maple has so far discounted the theories that it is caused by
pecking birds deforming the wood grain
or that an infecting fungus makes it twist.
What is AAA flame maple?
Normally they are the lesser flamed ones that are nicely matched or the very flamed ones that are not perfectly matched. AAA flame tops are
very nice
, they will take your breath away. Commonly they are very flamed and have good matching on both sides.
How do I know if my maple is curly?
Look at the exterior of the tree
. It should be a mature tree, since young trees do not exhibit signs of the unusual grain. The bark on a curly maple will be slightly bumpier than a regular sugar maple. It is generally gray to dark brown and quite thick.
How rare is figured maple?
| Characteristics of Quilted Maple Wood | Color White or creamy, like classic maple | Abundance Rare | Uses Small projects, especially musical instruments |
|---|
What is birdseye maple worth?
The average selling price of a bird’s-eye maple log is in the range of
$20,000 to $30,000 per 1,000 board feet
. To put this in perspective, one double bottom truck fully loaded with the highest quality maple bird’s-eye logs would be worth in excess of $700,000.
Is curly maple expensive?
Prices can range from
just slightly more expensive than regular maple
for lower grades of curly maple, to many, many times higher for prices of the highest grades. However, curly maple tends to be one of the most economical hardwoods when compared to other figured woods.
What does a flame maple look like?
Autumn Flame Maple trees are a patented variety of tree with the scientific name Acer rubrum. Its leaves are the classic lobed maple shape and are
bright green with a hint of scarlet in the spring and summer
, turning to a brilliant red early in the fall. Some trees produce yellow leaves as well.
What is Spalted maple?
Spalted maple is
a work of nature’s art that happens when fungus invades maple creating a vein pattern
. There is no other pattern like it in nature. Spalted maple can be found in either hard maple or soft maple – the spalt will occur in either species.
What is curly maple used for?
Prized for its beautiful appearance, curly maple is frequently used in the manufacturing of
musical instruments
, such as violins (hence the term fiddle back) and guitars.
What is the difference between curly maple and tiger maple?
Tiger and Curly Maple are terms used to describe the figure present in Maple. There are two main types of Maple that have the figure, Curly Hard Maple and
Curly Soft Maple
. The term Tiger Maple is most often given to Curly Soft Maple because the curly stripe in it resembles the stripe of a tiger.
Is quilted maple expensive?
Is Quilted Maple Expensive? Yes,
highly figured quilt maple is expensive
. Additionally, the cost is similar to highly figured birdseye sugar maple lumber. Specifically,as of December 2020, prices range from $3 per board foot for lightly quilted maple to $150 per board foot for extremely dense quilt figure.
