Is this a great find or is it firewood ? (pics)

[Dennis McFern]

While walking in a sugar maple forest, I found 3 large piles of stickered lumber, which must have been abandoned 25-30 years ago based on all the growth around the piles. So, I grabbed one of the boards and machined it to see what kind of condition the lumber was in.

I was pleased to see that it was in fact maple, but the boards had been devoured by worms. I have attached a few pictures for you guys to assess whether this is firewood or is there a value to my find.

Lemme know
Dennis

http://s216190827.onlinehome.us/wood1.JPG

http://s216190827.onlinehome.us/wood2.JPG

http://s216190827.onlinehome.us/wood3.JPG

http://s216190827.onlinehome.us/wood4.JPG

[Brent Ring]

I would have a hard time letting some of that go - I like the eclectic charateristics that some of that wood has. But you have to decide. IF most of the boards are like to top photo, then maybe firewood. But like the 2nd or 3rd, I would keep. Might get 'em treated with Boric acid to make sure there is no more damage.

Jim B would have some better ideas here, as would most of the group!

[Bruce Page]

I think it's a good find, at the least, it would make some interesting boxes.
You might want to mage sure there aren't any live critters that might get into your other lumber.

[Brent Ring]

Sorry - Pic #1 is OK - Pic 2 is the quality of lumber that I personally would NOT save!

[Jamie Baalmann]

Plz don't burn it. It would be great for making distressed furniture or flooring. How long/wide are the boards and how much of it is there?

[Burt Alcantara]

Don't want it? I'll take it!

Burt

[Frank Drew]

To each his or her own, but to me those are terminally flawed boards, or, at the very least, just not particularly interesting. I guess it depends on the kind of work you do. I'd also be reluctant to bring those boards into a workshop, boric acid or no boric acid.

[Larry Fox]

IMHO - firewood. Maple is just too cheap to buy to chance investing time into a project only to make an unpleasant discovery along the line (like a critter boring out after finish). I might even be inclined to leave them where they sat for fear of critters. Just my opinion though.

[Rick Gifford]

I know two people who each have dining tables with "faux" worm holes in them.

This wood makes interesting patterns and would be sweet on a box!

Not for every application no, but I'd like to have some in my collection for use.

[Ross Ellis]

I am hoping you have permission or own the land you found the wood on? "Found in a Sugar Maple Forest" raised my eyebrow. I am not saying this to be negative or condescending, but we find more and more people on our land and its much better for everyone involved to know who is out on your land than to run across them by surprise...

For the wood, I think its got a coolness factor to it. The worm holes and spalting are great. Spalting takes a good deal of moisture. If you are going to keep some of the wood you need to stack and resticker in a dry place.

[Chris Padilla]

Imagination will carry you far when working with wood. There is always some use for it instead of letting it succumb back to Mother Earth....

[Peter Quinn]

Hmm, spray it to kill critters and focus on distressed pieces, or burn it, or some of both?

[Chuck Tringo]

looks like time to refloor your workshop to me.....;)

[Casey Gooding]

Those are probably beetle holes, not worms. Try machining some of the boards further down in the stack. Might be some good stuff. Or, at the least, more of the same. Wish I could find a nice stack of wood like that.

[Anthony Whitesell]

First it's free except for some sweat equity. Firewood or project wood, it will have a lot to do with personal taste and the project. If you want some worm holes the first picture looks great, second and third not so much. The forth picture has some clear area and some nice spalting which if you didn't want holes you could try to cut around for some small boxes or like projects and turn the rest into firewood.

I would throw a scrap set of blades in the planer and take a few swipes off each board. Keep want you want and offer the rest to another local woodworker, or firewood if it's just pain rotten.

[Wade Lippman]

I bought a load of wood at and auction and burnt all the pieces that look like that.

I once turned a bowl out of wormy oak. My wife couldn't understand why I bothered. I tried to explain about "character", but she just walked away.

[Michael Weber]

For the right painting it would make a great frame. Used to be acquainted with a fairly well known artist (well actually before he became known) who supplemented his income building custom frames that were slightly distressed and he drilled holes to mimic worm holes. They looked great and he made some money doing it. Of course he spent it all on oils and canvas. The frames looked really nice with his slightly impressionist landscapes.

[Michael Schwartz]

The correct term for lumber like this is Character Wood, although many people would condemn it to the burn pile.

Some people would look at it and find it disgusting, while others would find it beautiful.

I think it would be worth salvaging. Just make sure nothing living remains in it.

[CW McClellan]

Dennis If I lived closer to ya I'd come and carry this load of infested fire wood away from you getting in trouble with all these varmits and may even waist your time making something with it .DON't GET RID OF IT it's beautiful

[John Thompson]

I had around 200 bd. feet of wormy.. spalted pecan left from surface prepping 4000 linear of feet for someone. I made 3 small chest of drawers from it with some other left over scraps for drawers. They were donated to a local Battered Women's Shelter.

I have no doubt they really cared if the wood had worm holes but they have told me the chest are well used at this point. I hate to see a piece of wood go to waste. Regardless of the holes... imagination can find a suitable and useful purpose IMO.

BTW.. if you have teens... perfect for a piece in a teen-agers bedroom. If you used more desirable stock, it would end up with that many dart-holes from misses and quite a few more scars that would not be considered tasteful by the First Lady. :)

Good luck with your decision...

Sarge..

[Radek Kowalski]

If your close to Chicago, let me know. I am looking to build a bedroom set soon. How about that, I am a teen too.

[Ed Labadie]

If you don't like the "look" of that lumber to use on furniture, it's still great stuff for shop projects like shelving or cabinets.

Ed

[David Keller NC]

Dennis - What you have is sometimes called "Ambrusia Maple" (not sure I'm spelling that first word correctly). The holes are caused by a beetle while the tree is alive, and the red colors with the black edging around the holes is caused by a fungus that accompanies the beetle. This kind of maple is fairly common here in NC, and actually sells for a premium, though usually with fewer holes than your sample.

[Don Bullock]

I'd love to "find" some lumber like that. The holes and splating add character for some types of projects, but would be inappropriate for others. My concern, other than the fact that the land you found it on isn't yours, is the splitting I see in the second picture.

[Fyrman Dave]

It would seem that this whole thread is about property that belongs to someone else. Unless you can gain permission to remove the wood, you should forget you found it.
I know what I would do if I found you taking my lumber...

[Dennis McFern]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your feedback. For those of you who were concerned that I was trespassing and planning a heist, rest assured that I had permission of the owner to grab anything that isn't 'alive'.

I would also be concerned if someone was on my property without my permission.

dennis

[steve germanson]

I would save it, I love wood that has character like that. Great find!!