qld. maple

[Big Mac]

I have aquired a large piece of Maple .Would like to know its turning properies.

[smidsy]

According to the Peninsula Woodturners Guild turning qualities of timber list, it has a fine to medium texture with medium density and good turning qualities.

Someone here was good enough to give me this list in a PDF file so if you want a copy PM me a direct e-mail address and I will send it to you.
Cheers
Paul

[reeves]

Qld Maple is good to turn. Sometimes a bit hard or possibly brittle buts its a nice strong wood and can have good figurative grain.

Qld silky oak and red cedar are also good for turning, with propeties quite differnet to other poplular woods.

regards
john

[Big Mac]

Smidsy,thanks for your info. very much appreciated.
Reeves thanks for your reply, picked up that qld maple from Cairns a couple of weeks ago.Brouht back a one tunner loaded with lots of timber ,unfortunately i dont know what lot of it is but it will be turned into some thing. :) :) .

[Cliff Rogers]

G'day.

Qld. Maple responds well to very fine sanding IE upto 1200 grit.

Has very pretty crotch wood. Comes out quilted.
Looks like 3D if you go right up through the grades of paper.
It doesn't need a gloss finish as it becomes shiny in it own right.

What area around Cairns did your hoard come from?

If you have any hard red stuff that seems to have yellow sapwood,
be careful, it could be red sirus. Also called Mackay Cedar & Sneezewood.
I will finish beautifuly but the dust is highly irritent, hence the name sneezewood.
Wear a face mask & long sleeves 'cos the dust on a sweaty arm can
cause skin irritation too.

[John Elliott]

Big Mac,
As a long time Maple user, I would just like to add a few comments to those already posted. Yes it is very good timber for turning, and crotch timber can produce figure as good as any you are likely to see. More importantly it is relatively easy to obtain (and have cut to your dimensions) and even better, it is one of the few timbers which you can collect green (and therefore cheaper) and know it will not degrade, crack, split etc whilst drying, even in a place like Townsville (desert).
It is also very stable once turned and dry. I make a lot of small turned boxes and even years later they retain their snug fit whilst many other timbers will expand and contract wildly with the seasonal changes in weather.

John Elliott.

[Big Mac]

Hi, Cliff. All the timber i brought back from Cairns was collected by my son in law who unfortunately is not into timber of any kind ,there for none was marked for identification. The Maple was a very large piece i purchased from the Gordonvale mill.Some of the timber has been milled ,some are slabs,others are very large limbs.(trunks)


John, just read your post, i am looking forward to when i start turning the Maple

Thanks to you both for the info. Neil

P.S. I will be in Cairns for Christmas but without the vehicle as we are going by Tilt train. :) :) :)

[MAPLEMAN]

I have never known Queensland Maple to be brittle:no: , infact it turns a treat.:B I have sold much maple to woodturners and seen their finished products, all producing a very high standard:2tsup: . The only thing you will need to watch out for is tear out with highly figured pieces, if using a plane. Also make sure your chisels are razor sharp. It sands and polishes beautifully. One of the most attractive timbers available not only for it's figure but workability too. It does remain very stable and produces a nice petina. :U I have additional information on Queensland Maple properties if you are interested, you can contact me via email. Cheers!
Happy Turning:;

[TTIT]

even in a place like Townsville (desert).

At last :o A Townsvillian that admits it is where the desert meets the coast!!!!:o :;

[Wayne Blanch]

Hey Mac, I got some Qld Maple a couple of years ago from the WWW Show here in Brisbane and have been using it on and off since then, mainly for small boxes. As has been said it is nice to turn and is really stable. I am sure that you will enjoy it:2tsup: Have fun:D
Wayne

[rsser]

Here is a link to the pdf on the turning properties of timber:

http://140.247.184.244/bin/view/stubby

[Old Croc]

TTIT, I would prefer to say we are in a rain shadow, eh
regards croc:D

[Wayne Blanch]

Everyone talking about the Qld Maple forced me to dig out some of the last of mine last night. Attached is a pic of the results.

The grain in this bit is a little boring but, I do love the colour of this wood.:2tsup:

Ain't it funny how the little differences in a supposedly matching set show themselves to be not so little when you take a photo!:doh:

Now all I have to do is find a victim to give these to.

[TTIT]

Ain't it funny how the little differences in a supposedly matching set show themselves to be not so little when you take a photo!:doh:

Now all I have to do is find a victim to give these to.Tell the 'victim' to set them at each end of the table - the differences won't be nearly as obvious. (Did the same with some 'matching' candlesticks once! :B)