(curly)cherry

[Dugsaws]

Has anyone ever heard of or seen any cherry with a pattern almost like circles the length of the board? I sawed 3 logs today with this type pattern and wondering if anyone else has opened up a log like this. I will take some pics tomarrow and post them.

[Jeff]

I have seen it in almost every species I have sawn. I am almost sure I have seen birdseye in aspen also. At least what sure looked like birdseye. You can bet if I ever see it again I will keep it!

I sawed a whiteoak one time that if I new then what I knew now would probably earned me a pretty penny. It had very dense curl.

[Ron Wenrich]

I've run into those patterns on cherry before.  Black or sweet cherry?  I believe in comes from bumps on the bole.  You're sawing in and out of the growth ring, so it gives you a pretty unique pattern.

Curl is a little different.  I've seen curl in lots of different species, usually the more dense species.  

The problem with unique grain species is that they are only good for small projects.  Its hard to get enough to market them very aggressively.  But, you can fetch enough to make it worth your while.  Some pretty good prices over at Ebay.

Maybe we should start a "unique wood" section in our classifieds so we can market them better.  

[Fla._Deadheader]

I like that idea, Ron. I have some weird shapes from the deadheads I would list there. Too much work, Jeff?

[Jeff]

No problem. How do you guys want it set up? What I would ask is that people that post in it, go back and mark their topic sold so I can thin it out as needed.

[woodmills1]

I think the people who make instruments would really be interested in figured woods, especially electric guitars.  Have you seen any pictures of them lately all curly and tiger in all colors.  I sold a whack of curly maple to a guy from rhode island and he said all he did was drive the country buying curly and figured to resell to guitar makers.  he paid well.

[Ron Wenrich]

The nice thing about figured wood is that you could have a small amount that could be moved to crafters.  Sometimes they only need a couple of bf.

Carving stock also seems to be a big seller.  Basswood and tupelo are big favorites.  

I would include the species, thickness, length, # of bf and a picture.  Posting price would be nice, but that could be handled by e-mail if it needs to be kept confidential.  

Shipping is usually a problem.  I think UPS has a maximum of 5' and 60 lbs.  

What would really be nice is if we could get some crafters telling us what they like.  That would save a lot of stuff from the chipper and slab piles.  

[biziedizie]

Ron have you had alot of deals go your way on e-bay? I make really cool pens out of wood and deer antlers and things like that and I found that some months nothing happens but other months I can't make enough.

   Steve

[Fla._Deadheader]

That's exactly how ebay is. Hot and cold. I don't know how to set up the wood page?? Maybe a look around the net would give Jeff some ideas. With the way he has this place set up, what could I possibly add??

 I do know that I picked up a customer, not 15 miles from me, from the "other" forum's wood wanted page. I am selling "fish boards". Only make $6.40 bd/ft for common cedar, NOT ER Cedar??

 I think getting folks to visit the new site would be the hardest part.  Jeff, whatever ya need, just ask, and I will try to help out ??

  I found a forum that I asked about the weird shaped "shark fin" root piece I have from an old Cypress stump. I wanted input from turners. I did some some response, buy, didn't really follow up on a couple of interested folks. Didn't think they showed that much interest, but, wadda I know??? I can give ya that URL, if ya want it ??

[Ron Wenrich]

I've never sold a board on Ebay.  They have way too much to page through.  I do remember they had a piece of spalted sycamore that caught my eye.  We had just cut a sycamore log that had spalted a little.  We just throw that stuff in the pallet pile.  I pulled a 12x12x12 out of the sycamore and we got something like $50.  A 2x14x4' piece of spalted sycamore fetched $75.  Made me think a little.

Here is a well down website for figured wood.  http://www.venangotimberland.com/specialtylumber.htm  I don't know how we could incorporate it unless you had a contact name underneath.  

Here's another one to show the different things that could be marketed,  http://personal.myvine.com/~baje/woodcent/index.html

[burlman]

   Earier this winter I cut a lovely curly maple up. I was curious about price, and the nature of curly maple. I found some interesting sites on the web. Check out the pictured inventory on the following sites. Curlywoods.com and the other is righteouswoods.com Both have some amazing pieces of curly maple, oak and cherry. as well as some eye opening prices. If you come across such pieces contact a local woodworking club. Professional woodworkers have easy access to wholesalers for such pieces, but home woodworkers need a resource for fantastic wood and are willing to pay for something unique. I have some 2x28 in .spalted american elm recovered from a dredgeing operation on the local river. I sold one 4 foot plank for $200 the customer wanted a one of a kind coffee table, and was willing to pay the price to get it.  it is important to know your finished woods and there applications so when you stumble upon a unique figure inside a log you can market it for all it is worth. I can't think of how many pieces of bird's eye I pulled out of  bundles of 1 com. maple when I was working in a furniture shop, because someone wasn't aware of what they  had in their lumber. do some research it will pay off in the long run and will make you a more knowledgeable sawyer. when you do find some figure in a log, take some time to study the log itself, look for some charecteristics in the log or on the log, the end grain etc. so you'll be able to forcast what might be hiding in those logs before you log, or purchase those trees.   burlman

[woodbeard]

Woodmills is right on about the guitar wood. I used to build electrics years ago, and am starting to get set up to do it again. Usually a bookmatched face is laminated onto a back of another type of wood. Gibson les pauls were curly maple on a mahogany back and thats what really set the trend. A typical size blank for a figured top is 2"x7"x20" which will make a 14" wide face for a carved top guitar. 1"thick for a flat top ( resaws into two 1/2" pieces ). I am always looking for interesting figure. Most guitar builders want maple, but I am more interested in experimenting with other species. The weirder the better. I would be very pleased to see a board here where I could post stuff I have and buy oddball pieces from some of the folks here.
Back to Dugsaws' original post, I think that figure in the cherry is called "rope figure" maybe? I'd love to see a pic if possible.

[Den Socling]

Steve S. at curlykoa.com is a member. He sells some of the prettiest figured wood in the world. And koa gets the big bucks! He should be able to offer some advice here. Wonder where he is.

[Steve]

Just 'cause I live on (essentialy) the only island in the world where one of the most beautiful woods in the world exist doesn't make it easy.

I put a lot of time into a few bf of special wood when I put things up for auction. I usually auction things aimed at a specific market rather than just a board in general, although I do that too. I get new customer inquiries through my exposure on ebay. That is really where it is most usefull for me. Although the occcasional curly cue blank  doesn't hurt.
Sometimes people pay me way more for a piece of wood than I would dare ask.
May business plan here, is sell the lower grades wholesale and store, dry , grade, and market the best a piece at a time.
The music wood market is very particular and rightly so as they are asked to pay the most.
Mostly I just feel lucky to be milling this beautiful wood here! Only in Hawaii.
I'd be glad to answer any questions.