Very Curly Ambrosia Maple

[Michael Mason]

I found this tree on the side of the road while out cutting downed trees out of the roadway during an ice storm about 6 weeks ago. It had fallen across the road during the night, and the road department had cut it in half and pushed it out of the road. I could see it was a huge Ambrosia Maple and it was only 1/2 mile from my Dad's house, where we have a skid steer, but I was really too busy getting ready for a huge spring festival to fool with it. I left it there for a couple of days, and finally decided I would go talk to the people who owned the land where it was. They gave it to me, and I got it that Saturday. With the festival finally over, I cut up the first log last week and about fell over. I had never heard or a Curly tree coming from around here, but obviously they can. I got 4 10' logs, the smallest was 17" in diameter, and the largest is 32". The pics below are from the small log, they came out to 16" after rough turning. I cut up the 20" log yesterday, and still have the 2 largest to go. If I had left the tree on the side of the road, I am sure someone would have had some beautiful fire wood for next year. :)






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[Prashun Patel]

That's the find of the year. Very beautiful.

[Randy Red Bemont]

You hit the mother load. Great find. That wood is gorgeous!

Red

[John Keeton]

I like Ambrosia, but I LOVE curly!!!! WOW!!!! What is your address and when will you be away from the house for a couple hours??;):D

[Stan Smith]

Congratulations on being in the right place at the right time.

[Steve Doerr]

Nice score on the wood. I really like how you have cored the three bowls. They will make a beautiful set of bowls for someone. What coring system did you use?

[charlie knighton]

jackpot.....you are living right......like your bowls

[daryl moses]

Great find! Some nice looking bowls for sure!

[Bob Bergstrom]

Can't even imagine what that wood would sell for if a retailer found it. Great find on some drop dead gorgeous maple. Glad you could core it. Thanks for making us all die of envy!:D

[Michael Mason]

Thanks guys, I figured y'all would enjoy seeing it as much as I did. This is probably the nicest wood I will ever get, especially for the price!

Steve, I used the McNaughton Coring tool. I have only been coring since December 2014, but I am starting to feel comfortable with it. Thank goodness I had it for this wood. So far, I have 7 sets like the pic above, all about 16" on the big one.

[Reed Gray]

Well, it is official, you suck..... I am envious. Cut dried board stock from some thing like that would be in the $20 per board foot range for retail. If you have any instrument makers in the area, talk to them, they may want to buy some.

robo hippy

[David Delo]

Michael,Which knife are you using for the largest bowl? I'm thinking the standard but did you use a jumbo knife on the largest bowl? I might have some similar sized pieces showing up later this week and wanted to see which you used. Looks like a pretty decent coring job on your part also Way to go. But I agree with Reed.........you suck!

[Thom Sturgill]

Well, it is official, you suck..... I am envious. Cut dried board stock from some thing like that would be in the $20 per board foot range for retail. If you have any instrument makers in the area, talk to them, they may want to buy some.

robo hippy

Absolutely. That makes the fiddle maker in me set up and take notice!

[Michael Mason]

Michael,Which knife are you using for the largest bowl? I'm thinking the standard but did you use a jumbo knife on the largest bowl? I might have some similar sized pieces showing up later this week and wanted to see which you used. Looks like a pretty decent coring job on your part also Way to go. But I agree with Reed.........you suck!

David, You are correct. I used the standard blade, medium curve for the large, and the small, big curve for the smallest bowl. I think if the blank were any larger than 16", I would have to switch to the Jumbo set. I will find out shortly.

[Dirk Hoogendoorn]

Man, I looked at those pictures and had to wipe the drool from my computer, I totally agree with Reed Gray, You suck, good on you.

[Michael Mason]

Well, it is official, you suck..... I am envious. Cut dried board stock from some thing like that would be in the $20 per board foot range for retail. If you have any instrument makers in the area, talk to them, they may want to buy some.

robo hippy


Unfortunately for them, I don't know of any in my area. I guess that means I am stuck with turning all of it.

I do want to say Thank You to you Reed, I have only been coring for a short time and your video was a ton of help, as your others are also.

[Michael Mason]

I like Ambrosia, but I LOVE curly!!!! WOW!!!! What is your address and when will you be away from the house for a couple hours??;):D

John, it is actually on a trailer in my garage!

[Jack Mincey]

Great looking wood. I would love to see a HF turned from it as well as the beautiful bowls you already have there. I know a guy that is real close to Upstate S.C. that turns a HF ever once in a while.:D
Jack

[John Keeton]

John, it is actually on a trailer in my garage!
If I owned wood like that, I would keep it under lock and key, too!

[Steve Huffman]

Nice score indeed!! The bowls are very nice looking in the set like that, so keep up the good work with the bowl slicer.

[Prashun Patel]

I don't know if I'm more jealous of the wood, or your garage big enough to store a trailer full of it.

[Bob Bergstrom]

If I owned wood like that, I would keep it under lock and key, too!
I lived in northeast Iowa for a while and they had guys with chainsaws with extra quiet mufflers and flat bed trucks who rustle walnut trees at night. Wake up the next morning and all that was left were the branches!