soft maple

I like the so-called soft maples, especially silver maple and box elder.

-- 温故知新

Don’t burn it mill it.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

I decided to build my first hal taylor rocking chair out of wormy soft maple check it out I have a blog on it.

Mill it and build some beautiful projects you won’t regret it

-- Paul Lemiski, Ontario Canada, Custom Wooden Rocking chairs and tables http://www.canadianwoodworks.com

I made an end table with some & the results were great. I think it works well, although I haven’t carved or turned it… just cut, glued, planed, routered & finished. I certainly wouldn’t burn it.-SST

-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you

I bought a bunch of Soft Maple for .45 cents a board foot. Here is a little table I made from it.

And here is the top:

I agree…...Mill it and use it.

-- John -- Racine, WI -- Woodworking..."It's not just a Hobby, it's an Adventure"

Soft maple is fantastic, mill it.

-- http://djofurnituremaker.wordpress.com/ 木材場

It’s free wood, mill it up, and gloat about it!!!!

-- Matt Garcia Wannabe Period Furniture Maker, Houston TX

I agree with the rest to mill it but if you have a lathe save some chunks to turn and if the grains are “plain” slap some dye “ala Trifern” and have a go at it! Just keep your chisels sharp to reduce tear outs. If you come to a place in the tree where the stem splits into 2 branches be darn sure to save that section for the lathe as that area will usually have the prettiest, most unusual grains due to stress factors from the 2 branches.

Erwin, Jacksonville, FL

-- Erwin, Jacksonville, FL

Soft maple (aka silver maple) is a great wood to work with. I have never turned it, but my intuition is that it would turn well. It has a Janka hardness index of about 700, about half of what hard (sugar) maple is. It is harder than poplar, cedar, pine, aspen and other softer woods. It is just a little softer than sycamore.

More importantly – it’s easy to work with and easy to stain and finish.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

Silver maple is great turning wood.

SOME EXAMPLES,

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

turning freshly cut silver maple is about as good as it gets. let us know if you need a hand using that wood.

-- Roper - Master of sawdust-www.coloradocustomworks.com

It is a wonderful wood. Easier to work than hard maple but very strong. Finishes well. Great stuff. If you air dry it be sure to stick it well and paint the ends.

-- The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools. Confucius, 经过艰苦的努力的梦想可以成真

USE IT!! i got “talked into” buying 100 BF of the stuff at rock bottom price from this small mill i go to and it was a great buy! it machines really well, but i disagree on the “ease of finish” it didn’t stain up very well but dont take my word for it as this was my first foryer into soft maple

-- I know its around here somewhere...