Are you referencing softwood rules? Seems to be a mix of rules for various products?
Relating to cue wood, I think the main thing you noted that is true is
NHLA rules (hardwood grades) consider FAS (Firsts & Seconds) as the top grade, F1F (clear one face) second, SEL/ selects third down, then No1 Common, No2C, No3C. In sound cuttings with poor faces say for structural uses & palettes, the grades continue down 2B Common, No3BC & that's it except for oddball categories like "WHND" (wormholes no defect) etc
Firsts (not No1 C) means cut from virgin timber source, essentially. That almost does not exist in the US so it is lumped with "seconds" which are practically Firsts quality, but not cut in forests which have never been logged.
For exceptional timbers cut from random sources, there is FEQ = "Firsts equivalent" but it is rarely incited. These would be uniformly near clear high grade lumber of exceptional width & length for the current typical cuttings of a species; & probably include things like "tight grain" though that would have to be directly specified.
For hard maple specifically, Grades specified can include unselected, which will have a mix of boards with heart & sapwood, all to meet the stated grade, FAS down to #3B common. Or it can be specified "all sap HM" or "Sap one face" in grades from FAS down to 2Acommon.
It can also be specified in either #1 white, or #2 white, from FAS thru #2Acommon; but this would be pretty rare. #2white can still include almost 50% heartwood, but usually has less. #1 white is supposed to be all white sapwood.
If you are a regular lumber buyer, it is sometimes possible to get quotes for a given grain count in Quartersawn lumber, say "not to be less than 15 annual rings/inch width (or higher). Does not mean anyone will quote, but some might. I used to have to do that for QS white oak for replication of fancy floors in government offices that were originally installed shortly after the civil war. Presumably a shaft maker could if they were ordering enough. Might not want to based on cost, though.
Maple turning squares have rules for grain run-out and color somewhat as you have described. To long to quote here; some refers to dimension which cannont be either over or under by specified amounts, etc. The rules for a turning square would not guarantee it was adequate for a cue shaft, though. More geared for things like stair balusters.
Maple also has a clear spec for piano action wood (no, not high stakes gambling with piano duets ) But i doubt it is much available anymore unless ordered special by the trailerload.
Because cue & shaft parts are small, you can probably find cue wood even in #1C material. Just have to cut between the defects. The biggest problem with commercial hardwood lumber is that it has been kiln dried, which adds assymetircal stress to it. It can be balanced over time by strategic cutting. But it is a big factor. This is the reason for a lot of the almost supersticious practices which cue-makers bring to managing lumber - few know where it came from or how it was treated before it arrived in the shop, so all has to be managed based on expectations of worst case scenarios.
PS: I am definitely not saying maple should not be KD - Done properly after suitable correct AD it is the first defense about preventing stain and killing all the creepy crawlies. I started working wood in the early 1970's in MD. I would save out any BE or curly hard maple planks that came in a load of maple. In the "old days" it was pretty common to get pretty nice highly figured boards mixed right in. I accumulated it up on a rack in a small barn. (Dry, but no humidity control). When i moved shop to upstate NY in the early 90's, i went to move it, and it had all gone wormy. Just with that small MC differential in the mid-Atlantic states. If you have good maple, store it where the MC levels will always be way down.
smt
Relating to cue wood, I think the main thing you noted that is true is
As often seen on this site.:wink:"Many end uses make their own grading system beyond this"
NHLA rules (hardwood grades) consider FAS (Firsts & Seconds) as the top grade, F1F (clear one face) second, SEL/ selects third down, then No1 Common, No2C, No3C. In sound cuttings with poor faces say for structural uses & palettes, the grades continue down 2B Common, No3BC & that's it except for oddball categories like "WHND" (wormholes no defect) etc
Firsts (not No1 C) means cut from virgin timber source, essentially. That almost does not exist in the US so it is lumped with "seconds" which are practically Firsts quality, but not cut in forests which have never been logged.
For exceptional timbers cut from random sources, there is FEQ = "Firsts equivalent" but it is rarely incited. These would be uniformly near clear high grade lumber of exceptional width & length for the current typical cuttings of a species; & probably include things like "tight grain" though that would have to be directly specified.
For hard maple specifically, Grades specified can include unselected, which will have a mix of boards with heart & sapwood, all to meet the stated grade, FAS down to #3B common. Or it can be specified "all sap HM" or "Sap one face" in grades from FAS down to 2Acommon.
It can also be specified in either #1 white, or #2 white, from FAS thru #2Acommon; but this would be pretty rare. #2white can still include almost 50% heartwood, but usually has less. #1 white is supposed to be all white sapwood.
If you are a regular lumber buyer, it is sometimes possible to get quotes for a given grain count in Quartersawn lumber, say "not to be less than 15 annual rings/inch width (or higher). Does not mean anyone will quote, but some might. I used to have to do that for QS white oak for replication of fancy floors in government offices that were originally installed shortly after the civil war. Presumably a shaft maker could if they were ordering enough. Might not want to based on cost, though.
Maple turning squares have rules for grain run-out and color somewhat as you have described. To long to quote here; some refers to dimension which cannont be either over or under by specified amounts, etc. The rules for a turning square would not guarantee it was adequate for a cue shaft, though. More geared for things like stair balusters.
Maple also has a clear spec for piano action wood (no, not high stakes gambling with piano duets ) But i doubt it is much available anymore unless ordered special by the trailerload.
Because cue & shaft parts are small, you can probably find cue wood even in #1C material. Just have to cut between the defects. The biggest problem with commercial hardwood lumber is that it has been kiln dried, which adds assymetircal stress to it. It can be balanced over time by strategic cutting. But it is a big factor. This is the reason for a lot of the almost supersticious practices which cue-makers bring to managing lumber - few know where it came from or how it was treated before it arrived in the shop, so all has to be managed based on expectations of worst case scenarios.
PS: I am definitely not saying maple should not be KD - Done properly after suitable correct AD it is the first defense about preventing stain and killing all the creepy crawlies. I started working wood in the early 1970's in MD. I would save out any BE or curly hard maple planks that came in a load of maple. In the "old days" it was pretty common to get pretty nice highly figured boards mixed right in. I accumulated it up on a rack in a small barn. (Dry, but no humidity control). When i moved shop to upstate NY in the early 90's, i went to move it, and it had all gone wormy. Just with that small MC differential in the mid-Atlantic states. If you have good maple, store it where the MC levels will always be way down.
smt
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