Tiger/Curley Maple Tips

You are reading the forum of the Society of American Period Furniture Makers — people who build and study American period furniture.

Membership brings the whole forum, the annual journal and quarterly magazine, the members’ gallery and workbench, and chapters across the country. About membership

H

hellmutt

Active member
I have just picked up Tiger/Curly Maple for my Desk on frame project. It is derived roughly from a William/Mary period design. The legs and stretchers will be turned and the rest will be case work. My only other work with tiger maple was with a Tavern table (only used for the top) I used the leftovers for a small clock.
I did learn on the first project that scraping brought out the wood grain better than sanding! Are there any tricks I need to know before I start to turn the legs or any other tricks to tiger maple that might be helpful?
 
I just finished a tea table that was my first project in tiger/curly maple.  I did get some tearout, but nothing terrible.  I didn't notice some of it until  I started top coating.  One thing that did catch me was when I was planing the moldings and skirts - I felt like there was sometimes no rhyme or reason as to what direction I had to plane.  It wasn't always obvious.  also, I feel like I had better lock with a low angle block plane.  I have no idea what the plane iron was ground to,  I don't remember.  That could have been part of it.  Anyway, my point is to try some light passes when planing to make sure you are headed in the  right direction.  I use a DeWalt 735 "portable" planer and it handled the figured maple very well.  My #4 smoother did pretty reasonably well on the flat surfaces.  Good luck with your project.  The wood is a little tricky, but the reward is really worth it.  I felt like I was real lucky to have gotten the stock that I had.  It was really nice.  I'm anxious to begin my next tiger/curly maple piece. 

A local wood supplier had curly maple for around $10 and tiger for ~$7.  I was shocked that I could get figured maple for that price - especially here in Memphis.  i asked why the difference in price and didn't get a real good explanation.  I guess it is all in the eyes of the beholder.  I hoe I can get some  more of this stuff.  Bad thing is he only gets 4/4 stock. I had to findleg and skirt stock somewhere else.

Tony
 

Attachments

  • Tea Table for web.jpg
    Tea Table for web.jpg
    76.2 KB · Views: 60
Maple turns very nice.  You wouldn't think so but you will be suprised on how nice it is in the lathe. Sometimes with curly maple you can have a hard time going back over an area you have already turned. Try to get it right the first time.
Tony, nice table! I have always said that the best critic is the finisher. During the finish is where you will see all your imperfections.
Never point them out to a client(wives included). It will be the first place on the piece they will look at for the rest of their lives.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

If this discussion was useful, there are twenty years of them here. Join SAPFM to take part — the forum, the journal, the magazine and the members’ gallery come with membership.

Back
Top