Weird Wood

[Vaino]

Bought a hard, maple blank for my 8th LR build and had the bbl and RR hole in and was starting to remove wood from behind the bbl....took a chisel cut and a 1/16" layer of wood lifted up. Seeing I had more wood to remove, I started the chisel and another layer popped up. Thought about gluing the last layer, but what about the next later underneath? So again started the chisel and another layer came completely loose. Never encountered this kind of maple again and didn't think it was suitable for a LR build, but . it made a couple of fires in my stove .....Fred

 

[Phil Coffins]

Smart, better to cut your losses then fight a block of wood!

 

[Brokennock]

Bought a hard, maple blank for my 8th LR build and had the bbl and RR hole in and was starting to remove wood from behind the bbl....took a chisel cut and a 1/16" layer of wood lifted up. Seeing I had more wood to remove, I started the chisel and another layer popped up. Thought about gluing the last layer, but what about the next later underneath? So again started the chisel and another layer came completely loose. Never encountered this kind of maple again and didn't think it was suitable for a LR build, but . it made a couple of fires in my stove .....Fred

Interesting. Never figured out why?
Slightly different growth ring and grain orientation?
Maybe an attempt was made to dry/cure the wood too quickly?

 

[Vaino]

I'd only be guessing as to why the layers didn't adhere to each other. Your guesses are as good as any,.....Fred

 

[excess650]

ring slip?

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

It’s called “ring shake” caused by bacteria entering the wood at the growth rings.

 

[Vaino]

Thanks......Fred

 

[oldwood]

Can't say much about what maple you encountered , but years ago , I bought a couple blanks from Log Cabin Shop in Ohio , that was the hardest maple ever. Researching the maple showed it to be Sycamore Maple. (Not to be confused w/ common Sycamore.) Since then, A couple more stocks came to me to use. The wood usually displays bird's eye figure as well as tortoise shell figure , together. I'm convinced that due to it's hardness , denseness , and weight , makes it best used for old fashioned carnival mallets used to drive circus tent stakes into the earth.. This wood is hands down the most challenging to work with hand tools ,but beautiful in it's own right. With razor sharp tools , it can be carved in any direction , as there is almost no grain direction. Oh well , I'm in the weeds and awash in too much info....................oldwood