Wood so nice it can be considered wall art

[thudchkr]

I picked up a chunk of nicely spalted curly maple many years ago via the internet. I had to cut it a bit narrower in order for it to fit under the guides of my bandsaw, but was then able to get a nice slice off of it.

I laminated the slice to a plywood backer and then constructed an outer frame of some Jatoba. Really like the way it came out. Was originally intended to be given to SWMBO, but ended up as a Christmas present to one of my sons this year.

The missus remarked that it appears like you're looking through clear moving water at a stream bed.

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[luvmytoolz]

That's a pretty sensational bit of timber there!

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Spalted and curly together, awesome

 

[pixelated]

I love maple in general, and figured or spalted maple especially, so this hits all the boxes.
It doesn't love me though (spalted). I made a spalted maple bowl once and ended up with a pretty severe allergic reaction.

 

[Cheese]

That's a beautiful piece of wood...  [thumbs up]

I also like the addition of the lock-miters on the picture frame. A nice bit of additional detail that most people won't even notice.

Here are a couple of shots of a wooden bench that was offered for sale. This wood was simply a thing of beauty. What didn't show up on the photos was that there was light YELLOW spalting also mixed in among the black...I've never seen anything like it since and I continue to look for boards like this 5 years later.  [smile]

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[Crazyraceguy]

There is some of that yellowing on the pieces I used for a table top I made for myself a few months ago.
Not Maple though. I assume some kind of "weed tree" that grows somewhere far from the US.
Some kind of Gum? not sure. It came from a shipping crate, I assume built while still green? thus the spalting? Can that happen to wood that has been milled into rough stock, or does it have to stay in log form to keep wet long enough?

There is some on the Oak that became the bottom of this unit too, but the pic doesn't show it very well.
(it wasn't the point of the pic)

I particularly like it. There is so much more character in pieces like that.
I love some rift sawn WhiteOak or quarter sawn Walnut too, but for totally different reasons  [smile]

 

[alltracman78]

There's some beautiful wood!

I also like the addition of the lock-miters on the picture frame. A nice bit of additional detail that most people won't even notice.

Right?!

There is some of that yellowing on the pieces I used for a table top I made for myself a few months ago.
Not Maple though. I assume some kind of "weed tree" that grows somewhere far from the US.
Some kind of Gum? not sure. It came from a shipping crate, I assume built while still green? thus the spalting? Can that happen to wood that has been milled into rough stock, or does it have to stay in log form to keep wet long enough?

Spalting is just fungus. Basically the wood is starting to rot. Can happen with any stage of the wood.
My neighbor took down a large maple and gifted me some of the main trunk. Unfortunately cut into small sections, so I just used them as seats around the fire/chopping blocks. They ended up with some gorgeous spalting but they were too small to really do anything with.

I love some rift sawn WhiteOak or quarter sawn Walnut too, but for totally different reasons  [smile]

I have a large pile of rift sawn and quarter sawn white oak drying in my garage. I need to remember to build a kiln around it early this spring to kill the "tenants" I still have in it.

 

[peter halle]

Over the years I have collected some woods and veneers that I just haven't had the time or perhaps even the guts to try and make something out of it.  Much of it was bought in the 2006 - 2009 time frame on eBay.  The veneers with a few exceptions were stored in an outside building and the woods were stored in my "junk" room.  Comparing the prices today with what I paid for primarily the veneer back then when it was possible to buy relatively large lots (100 square ft + per species) is a little eye-opening. Some of the veneers I haven't been able to find online anymore - figured yellow heart, jetich, pommelle Spanish cedar.

I moved about two years ago into a different home that allows me more space and am finally getting into the act of going thru some stuff and in some ways actually appreciating the beauty of the species - especially maple.  I am actually thinking of taking some of the veneers and just laying them on simple geometric shapes of mdf, finishing them in a clear gloss and mounting them on a wall with sign standoffs.  I had taken a few of the species back when I bought them and applied them to 12 x 12 squares and to see them them now for what they are in a simple format makes me appreciate them for their diversity and uniqueness.

Peter