I am restoring an old chair from which I have carefully stripped a number of coats of ???, or whatever. In the process of examining the chair this morning for the need for additional work, I noticed these markings, which I showed to my wife, who had been asking to know from what kind of wood the chair might have been made. I was guessing that it might be "bird's eye maple" because of the markings, but my wife said "Just Google It," and here we are with the definitive end all and be all. It is one thing to know what the wood looks like in a finished state, but it is far more important and rewarding to know how to be able to identify it in it's own environment. If it wasn't for men like this forester, we would have returned to the planet of the apes, a long time ago. Thanks for a very detailed, patient, and scientific expose.
I was a logger for many years, i have seen that style of growth here in the Adirondacks. Often in low areas where there may be a spring near by, also on the lower sides of hills where the glaciers dropped off rocks and bolders everywhere. These conditions are really prevalent in 2nd growth timber also i believe. The stunted growth, and especially the horizontal limbs, mixed in at the edge of big beautiful sugar Maple stands. Also on the edge of a lake. When I think of all the figured Maple i probably cut in my life into pulp, i want to cry. Now that im a full time hobby carpenter, i want all i can find. A friend of mine let me use your identification method on his property, we were very lucky to find a tree we thought was a good candidate in no time, near his spring. It was a soft maple, but we got it out, sawed it on my mill. Turned out to be all tiger maple, except the heartwood. The tree was almost 24" breast high, so i ended yp getting 8" of nice clear figure from each side of the brown heartwood. I can't believe how much we got out of that 1 tree. Ill be building for a few years just from that 1 tree. Thank you so much for sharing. I will pass your info on to all my grandsons.
+HOSSMCGILLICUTTI Thanks Hoss! Yes curly maple has funny looking bark too. Another thing to look for in cut wood for birdseye is you see rays radiating out from the center of the cut towards the bark. I'm glad you are putting that beautiful wood to good use.
I have a drum set made by the Drum Workshop company, with and outer veneer of birdseye maple. I had wanted one since I was 14, and finally got it in 2004. Absolutely stunning, gorgeous drums, with an ebony stained, lacquer finish. I'm down in Rochester Hills, MI. It would be awesome to have a drum set constructed with wood sourced from my home state.
I just noticed this comment. Interesting as I lived near Rochester Hills for a short time. The drum set sounds awesome. The birdseye may have come from the UP, you never know but the UP has more than any other place according to some estimates.
The bark has a pattern suggesting curls and is rougher than the age would indicate. It is a subtle difference. I see it in the stump often but it sometimes doesn't go up the bole. It is most often in red maple and grows anywhere, not like birdseye which favors certain stressful sites and is mostly sugar maple, although it too can be anywhere.
At 3:23, you talk about how funny looking boards often end up as pulpwood . This is a really valuable tip for woodworkers. I've never checked out green pulpwood logs but I can tell you that over the years I have found some stunningly unique figured maple (and other species) by flipping through low-grade #2C/#3C /frame grade kiln dried lumber. Veneer log buyers are very savvy when it comes to spotting figure. However, once a log has been processed for grade lumber rather than veneer, the guys on the grading chain typically aren't looking at figure, especially in the lower grades.
I am blessed, in NH, with a variety of maple. I collect the sap and make syrup, but I have old growth cherry, maple, and even a few black walnut trees. I have harvested a few dead red chestnut trees, had them sawn, and they're storeed under cover. My maple has some birdseyes, burls, and striped maple. I get orders from guitar and gun makers, for specialty hardwoods.
I had the good fortune to observe an Ironwood tree that was used as a Downey Woodpecker kindergarten for twenty years, with new horizontal/spiral holes drilled each year. I often wonder (17 years later) what that wood would have looked like...all the repairs the tree would have to do to fix all the weensy holes!
I always found that tight bark gave the tree a small heart.and if there is a lot of fir around ,u get a lot of mineral in the tree.but it's not easy to find old growth veneer grade. Thank you
I have personally been to this site before with Jerry on his property. He has been a forester in UP Michigan for 28?? years. If you look up North Central research station you will find a research paper on Birdseye maple =NC-317 is the research paper number i believe. It tell about characteristic on how to possibly attempt to identify birdseye maple on the stump..
You need to look after your timber here in the uk 🇬🇧 wood is as rare as rocking horse poo English oak is so expensive it only a dream for most people you have a wonderful land and only the people can make it happen it's a shame that money rules thanks so much for your information and good luck in Lee America the best in timber. I love the states I wish I could live there cheers for the video I enjoyed it 👴🏻🔨🥃♿️🤘
Thank you Sir. I try to do the best I can with my forest land but we are only here a short time compared to a forest. I am a lucky man to live where I do. All the best to you and your country.
Mindokwin I'm not a sir but thank you for the compliment you my friend a yes a truly lucky man to be where you are I have to admire you for all the work you put in to keep the forest alive but truly I thank you for your efforts and I'm sure your people think the same god bless my friend and thank you
Birdseye curl all that good stuff is a defect in grade lumber so it would all be in the low grade piles unless it’s being kept because it’s birdseye. If a wood worker wants a deal. Look in the 6ft and shorter 1 common pile. Because they will all we select or better boards just don’t have enough surface measure so have to be classed as 1 common
I agree. I've seen many birdseye and curly maple wood put in the pulpwood pile on logging jobs. Also sometimes small pieces cut off because the buyer wanted specific length logs.
My friends family runs a small shop making cabinets etc. and they need consistent looking wood so spalted and the rest of the defect stuff gets thrown out. My friend grabs as much as he can.
@@foebeezy5198Thanks. Ojibwe is what I thought because they are local but I asked some local Ojibwe who bought my maple syrup and they said no not their language.
I think suppression is a factor as well as a site that is wetter or shallower soil than optimal conditions. As far as suppression you would just have to keep the trees at a higher stocking level than what is used for maximum growth.
A Fascinating Video, Thank you. Mindokwin, where are you located? I live in the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. After watching this video I do believe I'd identified a figured sugar maple tree in my back yard. As a guitar player I've come to appreciate figured maple of all types, amazing stuff. Again, thank you for your videos, especially this Birdseye Maple video.
Thanks for the kind comments. I live in the central upper peninsula of Michigan. Many birdseye maples have come out of northern lower Michigan, so it is quite possible you have one. I like all figured woods too.
@@Mindokwin I may indeed have some Michigan Maple on one of my guitars! I know that Gibson Musical Instruments when located in Kalamazoo used to source some of their Maple from Northern Michigan. My Les Paul guitar is from that era! We moved just South of Cadillac 15 years ago relocating from the Detroit area. Never again could I live in such a high population density as I've not even traveled South of Grand Rapids for many, many years. Most who live in Northern Michigan are by choice and that makes a difference in the people you meet locally. So yeah, watching your video and now interested in Guitar Building/Luthier I mentioned to my Wife I'd possibly identified highly figured wood in our back yard Maple Tree. Just so you know I was lightly scolded and forbidden from ever harvesting that tree! Thank You again, be well and be outdoors often.
Nearly all Ash maples (usually called Boxelder) have a quilted pattern when they reach a certain size, regardless of growth conditions. Nearly all sugar maples acquire a tiger pattern if they eventually get large and old enough especially lower down. In fact, virtually ALL sugar maples and other maples eventually acquire a tiger pattern around the root flare. Regarding birdseye pattern, this video has some interesting points, but I have seen freak trees growing in various places including people's yards, that are all birdseye and lumpy all over. I think genetics play a big role and such trees could be cloned.
I know there has been research where cuttings have been taken from birdseye maple trees and then grown out but they did not develop the birdseye grain. A cutting would be the exact same tree genetically. That suggests to me that environmental factors play a role. Although genetics also would be a factor so perhaps there needs to be the right combination of the two.
@@paulbriggs3072 I'm not sure. The horizontal branching is a minor indicator in my opinion. Many trees have it that aren't birdseye. The dents in the bark are the strongest indicator but even the dents sometimes don't show up as birdseye in the wood.
Would be great if you would show proof of your prediction of trees with birdseye. Otherwise, it is only as good as others' guesses. Pick some trees as you have done, or some logs showing the bark signs, and follow through to the lumber or veneer thus nailing down your expertise. Enjoyed the walk in the woods tho..
It is always just an educated guess. Just possible indicators in the bark. Until the tree is cut and bark removed it is impossible to know the extent or quality of the birdseye pattern in the actual wood. I mentioned that in the video at about 6:30. Good idea on following through with the logs through the mill. I'm just a field guy and have no veneer mill contacts. Often in a log pile the birdseye pattern will show on a cut end looking like rays pointing from the center out to the edge. I'll look for some and maybe do another video. I need a new camera though. Thanks for watching and the comment.
You might find birdseye or curly figure, but I don't think the type of soil would make figure in the tree on it's own. I do find birdseye sometimes on the edge of wet soil just before the soil is too wet to grow maple at all. But even then only a very few trees have it, not every tree in that situation. Some type of stress on the tree is involved but the total cause of figuring is unknown.
@@Mindokwin Hopefully your good examples will make it easier for me to tell. These trees MIGHT be stressed because they are fighting for sunlight? They seem to be winning out space over the fir trees though.
Birdseye around here are nothing more than tree scabs. Have cut many maple and arbutus tree trunks for the popular wood. I've cut some Douglas fir as well. Cedars don't seem to scab up the same.
True birdseye grain goes right through the wood. Right towards the center of the tree, somewhat like rays in oak. I've heard of birdseye grain in bigleaf maple out west but I believe it is rare there too.
Hi I just liked and subscribed to your Channel. I'm a fellow finish Carpenter woodworker. What do you think about RU-vid and what they're doing with the smaller creators and raising the mark. From 10000 hours to a thousand subscribers? What if you had 700 subscribers right now how would that affect you? Do you think we should do a protest? What would you do how do?
I don't know much about it. I never monetized my videos and don't produce much. It seems the big channels start putting out uninteresting videos just to keep their numbers up. Not sure anything can be done about the situation.
Mindokwin okay well if you want to stay on top of what's going on send me a friend request on Facebook too InvoSkin And I'll accept your request and I'm creating a forum on a Facebook page the same name as my RU-vid page where we can build friendships Network share ideas Hobbies videos and that's what it's going to be about and I'm the building this group of people right now and encouraging others to do the same. I hope to hear back from you thank you for your response I'm also going to be going to RU-vid today doing a live video for a potential protest on the 15th I live about a half hour 45 minutes away! And I put up some videos where I'm speaking about this and giving my ideas and suggestions that people can put into use in order to grow their Channel and build a platform networking which has nothing to do with RU-vid
Michigan Upper peninsula. I've heard that there is more birdseye maple here than in other parts of sugar maple range. Some areas here do have several birdseye trees.
Although environmental factors appear to play a part, it is unknown why some few trees produce the birdseye pattern but most do not. A mystery of nature.
@@Mindokwin .i deal a lot of it and curly. I look on maps and look for hardwood ridges on a slope.i talk to the land owner and mark the trees via Gps.i got 12800.00for a curly full of birds eye. I live in New Brunswick Canada and my grandfather used to say it was from stress and where we get hives sometimes when stressed so do they.i love snowshoeing in the winter for them.
@@trevorwilson5461I'm glad you take the time to search them out and it looks like it has paid off for you. I'm always looking for them too, although I'm not a buyer. I just like looking for them.
Bellforest in Ishpeming, Mi had boards kiln-dried for $6.50 a couple weeks ago average grain pattern with knots. You can call they are online. It depends on grain pattern, grade etc.
@@johnsteele151 The price per board ft really depends on the figuring, the width and length of the board and the defects in each board; I've seen it for as much as $15/board ft down near detroit at Armstrong Millworks.
Many loggers will tell land owners that if any of their trees turn out to be veneer quality logs, that they will pay them the premium difference in rebate. Typically they tell them this with a cigarette hanging out their mouth, and nobody ever sees this premium rebate.
Some loggers here will give 50% of the value of veneer while 30% on logs. Veneer is worth quite a bit more than a 20% increase. I trust some loggers but not all.
