Amazing BLM Color & Character

[mike ash]

I scored a truckload of Gorgeous Big Leaf Maple and went to work roughing out some bowls. These two are 15-16” diameter. Now I will stretch my patience waiting for them to dry so I can do the final turning. I always wonder what got into these trees to produce such beauty!!

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[Roger Chandler]

What a score, Mike! That will make some fine looking bowls. Look forward to seeing the finished pieces!

[Julie Moriarty]

That is really cool, Mike! It's like some holly got in with a number of other woods and created a thing of beauty. I can only imagine what it will look like with a finish on it.

[allen thunem]

in a word mike probably bugs or fungus

[Richard Coers]

Based on some of those lines in the growth rings, I'd wager it was a lightning strike tree. You may see some separation in those lines as it dries. A lightning strike has considerable weakness due to the sap vaporizing from the sudden heat. I've seen some trees explode. How do you keep all that "stuff" balanced on top of the headstock? Looks like an avalanche zone!

[daryl moses]

Nice score!! I can see what looks like chatoyance all ready in there. They will be spectacular when finished.

[Bill Boehme]

Looks like white rot fungus.

[Thomas Wilson80]

Any photos of the finished products?

[Peter Blair]

According to my source at UBC this appears to mimic Compartlization of Decay in Trees (CODIT) I posted some photos of similar looking Red Maple.