Tips for selecting curly maple?

[ear3]

Was at the lumberyard this past weekend getting some materials, and took the opportunity to look through their stock of curly maple for a project I might have coming up.  I found it difficult, though to gauge the degree of curliness/quilting on the boards in their rough, unsurfaced state, and so couldn't really tell what board might have more quilting than another.  Are there any tips for making an optimal selection of this type of wood?

 

[nclemmons]

This might help -
http://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/lumber/wood-figure/curl/

 

[Jesse Cloud]

A good lumber yard will have no problem with you planing off a few small spots on a board to evaluate figure.  Just ask first, and make the cuts small and shallow.  I always have a block plane in the truck when I go to the yard.

 

[ear3]

Thanks for the tips.  I'll bring my block plane next time.

 

[JimD]

If it is heavily figured I think the effect is obvious even unplanned.  The face looks a bit like end grain.  Very rough and uneven.  If you buy it rough, understand it is hard to plane without chipping.  You need at least new blades (or newly sharpened blades) in your planner.  A helical head is an even better idea.  Highly figured wood is beautiful but also somewhat harder to work with.  A drum sander is safer than any planner.