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Author Topic: maple boards  (Read 3369 times)

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Offline youngbowyer33

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maple boards
« on: November 29, 2009, 01:02:03 pm »
whenever i go to home depot to get some red oak, i always take a look at the maple too. but i can't make out any growth rings or grain lines on it, so i dont know whether to get it or not. its not the same type of wood as red oak,like it is a a ring porous or the other one.how do you guys tell if a maple board is good?can you actually see the stuff? and do you think it makes better bows than red oak?
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Offline sulphur

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Re: maple boards
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2009, 02:26:20 pm »
look at the ends for the diagnonal lines of a qtr sawn boards.  then use a finger nail or nail or a pencil on the side edges by running it towards the other end.  you should have a nearly straight line if the grain is good.  do this lightly so the grain will move the nail as the grain slopes or twists.  also you might try a damp rag on the sides it might hightight the grain.  I know it can be hard to see maple grain lines sometimes.  i wish our home depot had maple.  surely someone else knows a better way!
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radius

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Re: maple boards
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2009, 02:43:58 pm »
you can just put a dab of spit on your finger and then wipe the endgrain with it.   
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Innocente

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Re: maple boards
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2009, 03:21:38 pm »
i started a pyramid build with a maple board, but when i put on my linen backing it had a couple of bad bubbles, and i removed it unwisely (pulled the backing off like i was starting a chainsaw) taking a couple pieces of the wood with it.  i judged it unsound backing and trashed it, and haven't tried another yet.

i'd LOVE to hear if you find maple board good for a bow.  planning on trying it again soon.

agreed on the grain, it all seems super straight to me too.
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Offline Dauntless

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Re: maple boards
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2009, 04:35:30 pm »
Maple is diffuse porous so, yes it can be hard to see the rings.  I often get plain sawn boards and chase a ring.  It seems the darker boards I bought made bows with less set.  I might be completely crazy though.

Ps. a trick for seeing the grain direction: get the board out of the stack and sight down one end.  Any waviness pops out that way.
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Offline youngbowyer33

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Re: maple boards
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2009, 06:54:10 pm »
isn't plain sawn the best?
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: maple boards
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2009, 08:07:20 pm »
Either board cut will do. But the edge grain has to be straight for 1/4 sawn. Jawge
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Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: maple boards
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2009, 08:10:02 pm »
Scott, that's a pretty wavy board for my tastes. How did it do for you? Jawge
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Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

radius

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Re: maple boards
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2009, 08:43:16 pm »
Dude, you are correct on your terms.

RIFT SAWN   //////////////


QUARTER SAWN llllllllllllllll



Maple makes good backing.  Like hickory, you can saw a backing strip off the piece you intend to use, and then glue the two together in reflex (or some other shape)...I have used maple and the bows didn't break, but they weren't all that good.  Then again, neither was i, that was a few years ago.
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