birdseye,curly,quilted...

T

timbo.hobo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi,
I was wondering if any of you here know what causes wood to become figured in one of those ways in the subject? I'm almost 100% certain that you can't just go buy some birdseye maple seeds and plant some BEM trees. I've heard that trees that grow on hills will get the "curly" figure, especially on the side of the tree that faces downhill, cause the weight of the tree will cause it to wrinkle. Any truth in this? I have no idea how the other types of figuring form though, please enlighten! Thanks!

Tim.
 
I think you're both onto it

I couldn't remember what causes birdseye, but curly is definitely from compression of the wood. I had never heard of it being from leaning on the side of a hill, but it makes sense that the downhill side would be in compression. I think usually though, it is due to the sheer mass of the tree, and therefore, most curly maple (and other curly varieties) would come from the bottom section of the tree.
 
I have no idea what causes the figurations in maple. I do know that I'm in the middle of installing 300 sq ft of nice maple hard wood flooring in the living room, and my wife will not let me install the few nice birdseye boards :( So I'm gonna put them aside and use them for a piece of furniture/??? in my basement pool room. The floor looks great btw, but my knees and back are killing me.

Dave
 
Hmmm...if curls are caused by compression, then I would think someone could theoretically induce curly figure by adding weight to a growing tree. Has anyone ever tried this? It would be pretty awesome to have guaranteed curly figure, it will bring the prices down so that everyone can have some :p

Tim.
 
You would have to live a couple hundred years to be able to tell. I'm not saying it can't be done I just don't think its very beneficial to attempt. Heavy compression rings (curly maple) is found at the base of some trees. Sometimes the compression rings go as far up as the first branch. Every maple will not have compression rings. Just the tall, heavy, old ones that live in colder climates. Colder weather will prolong the full potential of a maple tree. Meaning, a maple in a tropical area will grow and bloom too fast and will not acquire the properties needed as a resource, especially for cues. Good wood is hard to find...
 
long ago,,,tad's philosophy was that too much figuring in birdseye is bad(disease as noted). i don't know if he has changed his position. i don't know if he meant bad as in the wood will fall apart or bad as in the hit is not as good.
 
bruin70 said:
long ago,,,tad's philosophy was that too much figuring in birdseye is bad(disease as noted). i don't know if he has changed his position. i don't know if he meant bad as in the wood will fall apart or bad as in the hit is not as good.
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I like Birdseye but I like Curly a little better. Straight grain Maple is stronger, more warp resistant and probably gives a little crisper hit than Curly or birdseye but it still is not an infearior wood as it is strong enough and plays as good as most other woods. I believe that the truly straight grained woods transfer energy and feel better than figured woods but that is just my opinion.
Some say that birdseye is a disease in the tree but a couple of years ago I read an article where now the experts believe that most maple trees have birdseyes somewhere in them and that the trees that don't are actually the freaks so to speak. They still don't know what causes them as far as I know.
Dick
 
rhncue said:
I like Birdseye but I like Curly a little better. Straight grain Maple is stronger, more warp resistant and probably gives a little crisper hit than Curly or birdseye but it still is not an infearior wood as it is strong enough and plays as good as most other woods. I believe that the truly straight grained woods transfer energy and feel better than figured woods but that is just my opinion.
Some say that birdseye is a disease in the tree but a couple of years ago I read an article where now the experts believe that most maple trees have birdseyes somewhere in them and that the trees that don't are actually the freaks so to speak. They still don't know what causes them as far as I know.
Dick
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Do curlys need coring if say bending caused it? Would it have a tendency to warp more compared to BE and straight grained maple?

Hadj
 
rhncue said:
I like Birdseye but I like Curly a little better. Straight grain Maple is stronger, more warp resistant and probably gives a little crisper hit
Dick
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i always like the straight stuff in my shaftwood, so i can see the straight stuff making a diff in the rest of the cue as well. i always thought that straight grain was to be expected of a shaft until i started seeing some that curved off,,,,,and from southwest of all people.

a friend of mine just gave me a snooker cue made in canada, and the ash shaft is AWESOME. straight a grain as can be. too bad ash is so butt ugly. i think, though, that if the shaft were 12.75 instead of 10(or whatever), it might be unplayable. would like to try one though,,,,,maybe with a 12-14" pro taper.
 
hadjcues said:
Do curlys need coring if say bending caused it? Would it have a tendency to warp more compared to BE and straight grained maple?

Hadj
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You might get mixed opinions on this but Curly should always be cored.
 
Despite mixed opinions, Some woods should always be cored because of it's properties, anything curly definately fits the bill.
 
Michael Webb said:
Despite mixed opinions, Some woods should always be cored because of it's properties, anything curly definately fits the bill.
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Thanks Mike. I agree that some woods have to be cored because of its properties.
 
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