Ktkamm, "tiger" and "curly" are both terms used to describe maple with wavy grain. Curly is the broader term, while "tiger" refers to curly maple that has been cut in such a way that the curl reveals cross grain banding with unique reflective properties.
What is the difference between tiger maple and straight Maple?
The curly grain can make tiger maple less stable than straight-grained maple. The supply of Tiger Maple is small and availability can be sporadic. The quality of figured wood is a subjective matter that requires a relationship of trust between the lumber dealer and the furniture maker.
Where does tiger maple come from?
We primarily carry tiger maple that comes from the red maple trees that are native to our locale. Red maple is part of the soft maple family, which is soft only in relation to the harder sugar maple tree, and is similar in density to cherry.
What is the difference between regular maple and curly maple?
color (both uniformity and lightness—whiter is preferred), frequency of the curls (tight, closely-spaced curls are preferred), and intensity (more depth is preferred). Prices can range from just slightly more expensive than regular maple for lower grades of curly maple, to many, many times higher for prices of the highest grades.
What is another name for a curly maple tree?
Common Name (s): Curly maple, fiddleback maple, tiger maple, flamed maple, rippled maple Botanical Designation: Not a distinct species of maple. Curly maple is considered a grain pattern that can be found in nearly all Acer species. Distribution: Primarily temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere
What kind of maple is curly maple?
Flame maple (tiger maple), also known as flamed maple, curly maple, ripple maple, fiddleback or tiger stripe, is a feature of maple in which the growth of the wood fibers is distorted in an undulating chatoyant pattern, producing wavy lines known as "flames".
What is a curly maple tree?
Curly Maple is Maple wood with a unique wavy or curly pattern in the grain. The ripples in the grain pattern create a three dimensional effect that looks like the wood has curled along the length of the board. The pattern is most noticeable after a finish is applied.
What type of wood is curly maple?
Curly Maple is not a species of wood, but it one of the most famous grain variations of the maple heartwood that is today prized as one of the best wood types for the creation of musical instruments (most notably guitars, violins and other string instruments).
How common is tiger maple?
5 percentTiger maple patterns are not found in all maple trees and actually occur in less than 5 percent of common maple trees. The unpredictability combined with the beauty of the pattern make tiger maple wood a prized wood type by woodworkers.
Is curly maple rare?
Some of the most common types of figuring found in natural maple wood are spalting, birdseye patterns, curling, ambrosia, and quilting....Characteristics of Curly Maple WoodColorWhite or creamy, like classic mapleAbundanceSomewhat rareUsesFurniture, musical instruments1 more row•Jun 20, 2019
What tree does tiger maple come from?
red maple treeTiger maple wood comes from the red maple tree, a temperate hardwood tree that grows in the eastern United States and Canada. The use of tiger maple for furniture peaked in 18th century colonial America. Violin makers have used tiger maple for centuries, earning the wood yet another name: fiddle maple.
Is curly maple hard or Soft Maple?
Curly maple is durable, hard, and dense, and it carves, turns, and finishes exceedingly well. Curly maple is also known as tiger maple, flame, or fiddleback maple. The heartwood of curly maple is typically a light tan (almost white) to reddish brown color and, of course, features a pronounced grain pattern.
What creates curly maple?
It is created by variations in color, texture, luster, and grain. Distortions in the direction of the grain that reflect light differently, create the look of rolling waves. It is most commonly seen in maple wood.
How does maple become curly maple?
Dave Hurwitz describes curly maple: “If the tree grew tall and straight, the resulting grain will be straight and consistent, which makes it easier to plane flat and easier to cut. But, some tress grow in places or in conditions that cause the resulting grain to not be straight. An extreme example is curly maple.
What is Tiger Eye maple?
Abutilon x 'Tiger Eye' A fast-growing tropical flowering shrub, named for its distinctive maple-shaped leaves. Exquisite red-veined yellow flowers hang beautifully from its upright form. A showy landscape accent shrub or espalier specimen for frost-free areas.
How much is curly maple worth?
Shipping AdditionalBoard-Feet< 10100 - 4994/4 Curly Hard Maple (1 Com & Btr, Sap & Better)$11.00$8.25Curly Soft Maple4/4 Curly Soft Maple (1 Com & Btr, Sap & Better)$7.00$5.25156 more rows
Where can I find a curly maple tree?
7:0611:02How To Identify Figure In A Living Tree - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipEspecially a big leaf maple that we work with what we're going to look at here is an example of whatMoreEspecially a big leaf maple that we work with what we're going to look at here is an example of what could be either curly or fiddleback. We're going to look at what compression looks like in the bark
What color is tiger maple?
For centuries tiger maple has been used decoratively in furniture. In the 18th century it was often stained, or dyed, a dark reddish brown in order to simulate figured mahogany. Many of the period pieces seen today have a color and patina that is a direct result of that original coloring.
What is the cause of tiger maple trees?
Some believe it to be something in the soil, while others believe it to be a byproduct of stress from wind and weather. If either of those theories were true, then there would be groves of tiger maple trees.
Can a tiger maple tree be curly?
The progeny of a single tiger maple tree might rarely be curly. However, the occurrence might dramatically increase if the gene was dominant (say, in the case of offspring from two tiger maple trees).
Is tiger maple a natural product?
Tiger Maple 101. You’re probably aware that wood comes from trees and, as a natural product, it isn’t uniform, consistent or homogeneous (to be repetitive and redundant).With A&J Tree Service you can have a tree cutting and removal service to get the required wood and make your art, virtually any wood can curl.
Is soft curly maple hard?
There seems to be little rhyme or reason. I primarily work soft curly maple because hard maple is, well, hard. Soft tiger maple (wood that comes from softer maple trees like the red maple) tends to take color and finish better than rock (hard) maple.
What is a tiger maple?
Tiger, curly or figured maple is an aberration that occurs in all the species of maple on an irregular and unpredictable basis, and changes a good, utilitarian hardwood into one of our true domestic exotics.
Where does Tiger Maple come from?
We primarily carry tiger maple that comes from the red maple trees that are native to our locale. Red maple is part of the soft maple family, which is soft only in relation to the harder sugar maple tree, and is similar in density to cherry.
What is the dark center of a maple tree?
Maple has the opposite problem from walnut, cherry etc., in that the white sapwood is the most desirable part of the tree, and the tree has a dark center or heart that can range from almost nothing to as much as ¾ of the diameter of the tree.
What are some names for maple trees?
You hear names like flame, quilt, blister, birds eye, tiger stripe, curly and fiddleback, to name a few of the more common terms, and they all attempt to describe in a very unscientific and non-standardized way what is happening in a particular piece ...
What is a tiger in furniture?
The term tiger is used to describe the type of figure that has stripes running prominently perpendicular to the grain of the wood, vaguely resembling the coat of a tiger. This is one of the most popular and available types of figure, used in furniture, architectural millwork, toys, musical instruments and the like.
What is a curly maple?
Botanical Designation: Not a distinct species of maple. Curly maple is considered a grain pattern that can be found in nearly all Acer species.
Why is curly maple called curly maple?
Comments: Called curly maple because the ripples in the grain pattern create a three dimensional effect that appears as if the grain has “curled” along the length of the board. It’s also referred to as fiddleback maple, in reference to its historic use for the backs and sides of violins.
What is the average dry weight of a curly maple?
Distribution: Primarily temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere. Average Dried Weight: 30.2 to 44.0 lbs/ft 3 (485 to 705 kg/m 3) depending on species. Janka Hardness: 700 to 1,450 lb f (6,450 N) depending on species. Comments: Called curly maple ...
What factors determine the value of curly maple?
Generally the criteria for determining value is based upon: color (both uniformity and lightness—whiter is preferred), frequency of the curls (tight, ...
Is curly maple more expensive than regular maple?
Prices can range from just slightly more expensive than regular maple for lower grades of curly maple, to many, many times higher for prices of the highest grades. However, curly maple tends to be one of the most economical hardwoods when compared to other figured woods.
Is curly maple a distinct species?
Identification: Since curly maple is not a distinct species, the written information and images below are for red maple (Acer rubrum). See the article on Hardwood Anatomy for definitions of endgrain features. Vessels: small to medium; moderately numerous to numerous.
What is curly maple?
Curly Maple is not a species of wood, but it one of the most famous grain variations of the maple heartwood that is today prized as one of the best wood types for the creation of musical instruments (most notably guitars, violins and other string instruments).
Where does curly maple come from?
Majority of those species are natively originating from Asia, but dozens of them have also managed to spread their roots across Europe, North America, and northern Africa.
What are the markers of curly maple?
The markers that define the cost of curly maple are the frequency of the curls (most prized ones are closely-spaced curvy designs), color (lightness and uniformity, bright and even designs are most popular), and intensity between three-dimensional objects and surrounding wood.
What is the effect of cutting a curly maple?
The 3D-like effect of curly maple is known as “figure”, and it represents a distortion that is perpendicular to the grain’s direction. The wood of curly maple is commercially harvested from ...
What does maple leaf mean?
Most notably, Canadian flag features Maple leaf, which in this case signifies endurance and strength. The height of use of curly maple for furniture peaked in 18th-century colonial America.
Why does maple have a wave effect?
The grain of maple achieves this effect because the fiber cells that grow from the depths of its root to the tops of its canopy twists and turns as it grows, creating a wave-like effect that can be exaggerated in the finished lumber if it is cut in a certain way.
Is curly maple wood a soft wood?
However, the majority of curly maple wood designs are still not reaching the price of some other types of maple wood. For example, soft maple wood that was cut with flatsawn and produces a perfect “quilted maple” design is prized almost above all available types of curly maple.
