# how to tell if the tree has good grain



## jay

is there a way to tell if a tree is spalted,curly etc without cutting it down. i know how to find burl but not how to find the other.


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## Kevin

You can often see the lines on standing dead or even fallen dead trees where the bark has fallen off. But generally most standing dead trees will start spalting pretty soon, unless they are a species that isn't prone to spalt. Those species are the rot-resitant ones but some of them can still spalt. If you see fungus, and mushroom-looking thingies on the side of the tree they are almost certainly ging to be spalted or will soon start. 

Some species will spalt very fast like hackberry etc. but those same trees will also get too punky and turn to much very qucikly also, so you have to catch them just right.


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## Mizer

Sometimes a tree will give away that it has curl in it by wrinkles in the bark. Other times it won't, usually if you find a tree that does show curl through the bark the curl will be very strong in the lumber. If you find a dead tree you can knock off a piece of bark and get a better idea if it has any curl or get possibly see if some spalting process has started. Not a good idea for a live tree though, unless you plan on cutting it down. Basically the bark will tell the story of what is inside, a veneer log buyer will look for any little break in the bark as a defect knowing that under the bark lies a knot. I once was told that you could tell if a log had curl/figure in it by looking at the end of the log. I have looked at a lot of log ends of logs that I know are curly and could not tell any difference.


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## Mike1950

I think it varies by tree type - You can tell if a western cedar will have straight or twisted grain by the bark. Bark that has twist means the wood will also. A douglas fir that sticks way above the rest of the trees will get "wind shake" and will be all cracked inside. I think you have to spend a lot of time studying the specific tree to find their individual traits.........


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## HomeBody

I read in an old book that you could strip the bark off of any branch of a suger maple and tell if it's curly. The book was written by an old stockmaker (long deceased) who cut curly maple for gunstocks in the mountains around Lenoir, NC. I've never tried it so don't know if it's true. Gary


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## Mizer

HomeBody said:


> I read in an old book that you could strip the bark off of any branch of a suger maple and tell if it's curly. The book was written by an old stockmaker (long deceased) who cut curly maple for gunstocks in the mountains around Lenoir, NC. I've never tried it so don't know if it's true. Gary


That may be true in the case of a super curl tree but a lot of maple trees that yield curly lumber are only curly for a short length in the but log. I have sawn a number of maple logs that are curly in their lumber for the first six to eight feet or so then and maybe the curl only went a few boards deep then the curl disappears. I have also sawn other logs that were what I call super curl logs that where curly throughout, those are more of the exception though.


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## Kevin

jay said:


> RE: how to tell if the tree has good grain



Mill it. 

:irishjig:


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## gvwp

Mizer said:


> HomeBody said:
> 
> 
> 
> I read in an old book that you could strip the bark off of any branch of a suger maple and tell if it's curly. The book was written by an old stockmaker (long deceased) who cut curly maple for gunstocks in the mountains around Lenoir, NC. I've never tried it so don't know if it's true. Gary
> 
> 
> 
> That may be true in the case of a super curl tree but a lot of maple trees that yield curly lumber are only curly for a short length in the but log. I have sawn a number of maple logs that are curly in their lumber for the first six to eight feet or so then and maybe the curl only went a few boards deep then the curl disappears. I have also sawn other logs that were what I call super curl logs that where curly throughout, those are more of the exception though.
Click to expand...


Yes, I agree with Mizer. Unless its a super one in a million log the branches are not as likely to show curl. 

Often you can tell if a Maple log will yield a super ambrosia figure if the standing tree has what I call shotgun blast on the outside. Its where the insect has entered the tree. Normally towards the base of the tree. The heaviest ambrosia figure will be found in the trees which show this very small hole in the greatest numbers and even a good amount of bird peck where the birds have been trying to get at the ambrosia worm. This tree came in from the tree company today. This log has a good number of these holes in very good numbers over the base and you can see the figure inside. It also shows some sign of curl with the ridges where the bark has been knocked off the log. This will make fantastic stock.

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## Vern Tator

Wow, So right there in the middle will be Ambrosia Crotch!!! That will be some cool wood.


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## gvwp

Vern Tator said:


> Wow, So right there in the middle will be Ambrosia Crotch!!! That will be some cool wood.



Yes, the only problem is I will have to cut this off to be able to mill the log. Its 52" from side to side on the crotch end. Way to big to mill. :dash2::dash2: The log will have to be cut down a bit with the chainsaw to be able to mill it. Not a fun job with a chainsaw but I think it will be worth the effort.


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## Mizer

gvwp said:


> Vern Tator said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, So right there in the middle will be Ambrosia Crotch!!! That will be some cool wood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, the only problem is I will have to cut this off to be able to mill the log. Its 52" from side to side on the crotch end. Way to big to mill. :dash2::dash2: The log will have to be cut down a bit with the chainsaw to be able to mill it. Not a fun job with a chainsaw but I think it will be worth the effort.
Click to expand...

 
That will be a lot of work, probably eat up half a day but you are right it will be worth it. Plus you have to do it, if you don't, it will drive you mad wondering what is inside of that thing.


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## gvwp

Mizer said:


> gvwp said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Vern Tator said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, So right there in the middle will be Ambrosia Crotch!!! That will be some cool wood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, the only problem is I will have to cut this off to be able to mill the log. Its 52" from side to side on the crotch end. Way to big to mill. :dash2::dash2: The log will have to be cut down a bit with the chainsaw to be able to mill it. Not a fun job with a chainsaw but I think it will be worth the effort.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> That will be a lot of work, probably eat up half a day but you are right it will be worth it. Plus you have to do it, if you don't, it will drive you mad wondering what is inside of that thing.
Click to expand...


Oh I know whats inside. A gift from nature and a stunning gift at that. I'll get to this log next week and be sure to post pics. I'll probly have some offering from it in the for sale section. In the meantime here are pics of the upper logs from the same tree. Notice how small the heart is in these logs. Practically no heart at all! All white wood of Red Maple! The stripes will jump out against the snow white background and the white goes all the way to the center. OOOOO! I can't wait to mill these! :wacko1::wacko1:

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