local woods

[Lexicologist71]

Oh no, these are brand new logs fresh off the truck that are getting cut to size before any chemicals are added. All they do is cut logs to size. Any wood that gets cut off the sides gets turned into boards. The stuff that gets cut off the end gets tossed into a massive pile and sold for $40 per whatever you can haul at one time.

 

[Lexicologist71]

Here's some more domestic wood.

 

[Lexicologist71]

Mustn't forget that curly maple is domestic but priced like an exotic for a reason.

 

[DaveK]

Say thanks for where you live.

Dave <-- noting that spruce, willow, elm, and poplar have not been mentioned

<edit> I've been meaning to post this and it occurred to me that the folks here might appreciate the link. I love trees, and found this to be quite fascinating : http://www.duskyswondersite.com/nature/trees/
Also, if anyone who loves trees happens to be in Toronto, preferably in spring or summer, the Mount Pleasant Cemetary has a wonderful collection of trees, their planting started perhaps 150 years ago.

 

[qbilder]

Very cool link, Dave! Thanks for posting

Do you not have any hard maple near you? Or are you too far north?

 

[Lexicologist71]

We have plenty. Sugar Maple grows from the Deep South well into Canada. The curly stuff is statistically rare.

 

[DaveK]

Very cool link, Dave! Thanks for posting

Do you not have any hard maple near you? Or are you too far north?

Too north in the prairies, we are zone 1A or 2B ... ish :grin: We can grow Manitoba Maples (Acer negundo), and they certainly lovely in the fall, about the only red leaves in a sea of yellow and brown, but are not large and may not be much use for cues. They are an ornamental planting rather than a native species as far as I can tell (we are at the top north end of their range).

We do have lovely birch trees, and I intentionally left them out of my list of woods as they might be useful in a cue :wink:, rather hard and quite stable from what I understand. My entire basement is done in birch that I milled myself from boards that were likely from China. crappy pic here : http://forums.azbilliards.com/showpost.php?p=4054472&postcount=448

Dave

 

[desi2960]

same tree

photos are of a butt that was made using the walnut, but cut at different angles, reglued and cored. the different cuts really show the difference in the grain.
butt only has a sealer

 

[GBCues]

There's an ad in CraigsList here for a free Russian Olivewood stump that I considered for a few minutes. But the "stump" is about 6' long and would take a forklift to move - I don't have or know how to use a chainsaw. Still, there's a chance of something pretty inside that burl.
Gary

 

[Lexicologist71]

That Walnut looks fantastic.

Joss uses a fair bit of birch.

 

[qbilder]

There's an ad in CraigsList here for a free Russian Olivewood stump that I considered for a few minutes. But the "stump" is about 6' long and would take a forklift to move - I don't have or know how to use a chainsaw. Still, there's a chance of something pretty inside that burl.
Gary
Edit: Don't know why the first one came out so small.

Looks promising! If you were closer I'd swing up there and cut it for you. Denver's about 10hrs from me, though. Might be coming through somewhat soon on my way to Montana to fetch some flamed box elder burls, but not certain on that deal yet.