I mill a lot of native big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) where I live in Oregon. Usually a tree will produce various figured grain such as curly, birds eye and quilted. A few years ago I milled the lower section of a tree assuming the best grain would be there. The upper section became firewood. After I split that firewood I saw that it had beautiful quilted grain. We just got to that wood in our woodshed and for the last week it has been heating our house. Here is a sample:
Imagine how it would look sanded! I have a friend who is into turning and he made some beautiful tool handles and pens from some of this firewood. He only needed a few pieces so about two cords are going through the woodstove. Everytime I put a piece in the stove it makes me sick. Next time I will be more careful. This wood does produce a lot of heat BTUs though.
Here are links to one of the projects that I made from the same tree that the firewood came from. Oddly that upper portion had more figured grain than the lower portion that I milled.
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