Whudizit? Trick or Treat?

Vic D

Vic D

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Spent part of the day cutting woods... I had this stick of firewood drying for about a year now and decided to open it up. Now the guy selling the firewood told me it was maple... but man I dunno. Look, it's like green and black and ghostly white... tight grained though.
So... what is it?
I think he'll make a nice companion for The Bride.
 
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crazy Ziricote?
 
I think your firewood guy told you the truth, it looks like spalted maple to me. I've had western maple in my firewood that looked exactly like that when I split it open. And it is often sound as can be. (pun intended).
 
Sure glad that fungus is among us. What a beauty too.
 
I don't know about ziricote, but I can tell maple and sassafras from the smell (and/or taste) of the wood. Send me a small piece and I'll let you know. :)
 
Just curious - will you be having that with pancakes or waffles?
 
I also think it looks like spalted maple but I'm still looking for the girl in the bikini.
 
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Just curious - will you be having that with pancakes or waffles?
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Blueberry waffles, vanilla icecream and a slice of maple or sassafras..... But don't tell my gal - she has me on a low carb diet ;)

Seriously, maple and sassafras both have a very distinct smell and taste to the wood. And yes, the smell of maple is very much like maple syrup. Sassafras has a malty smell like stout beer or pumpernickel bread.
 
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I'm trying to keep breakfast foods away from my uke woods from now on :p
I think I solved the mystery, what I have here seems to be Ambrosia Maple, The Ambrosia Beetle causes pinholes 1/100 - 1/4" in diameter and attacks only recently killed/cut trees, logs, and green lumber. They usually bore into the sapwood of both hard and softwoods although sometimes they affect the heartwood. Interestingly, the beetle does not consume the wood; rather, when he excavates his "tunnel", he introduces two types of fungus.
The first grows on the walls of the "tunnel" and it is this fungus which is consumed by the beetle for nourishment. The fungus is called Ambrosia and the name was passed on to include the beetle.
The second fungus is a staining fungus which, if introduced, causes greenish-gray or bluish-black staining around the pinholes. Unless there are zillions of holes, the strength of the wood is not affected. The beetle loves Oak so much that a "sound wormy" grade has been created. "
And the stuff I have seems to be pretty sound... pretty stuff too.
 
Yep...it does look like ambrosia. A friend of mine uses a lot of that for turning. I just picked up a big board of spalted maple and you're welcome to a piece if you want to get crazy and make an entire spalted/ambrosia uke. Don't know what it would sound like...but I bet it would turn heads.
 
Thanks, Erich and Vic, for the info. I learn new, fascinating facts about more than ukuleles on this site. I love everything about wood (trees), so I just eat up any new information available to me. I truly appreciate everyone's knowledge and willingness to share on these forums.
 
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Thanks, Erich and Vic, for the info. I learn new, fascinating facts about more than ukuleles on this site. I love everything about wood (trees), so I just eat up any new information available to me. I truly appreciate everyone's knowledge and willingness to share on these forums.
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You're very welcome! I agree wholeheartedly, this is by far the best uke forum in my opinion, such a diverse group of characters. I'm pretty wet behind the ears so I mostly lurk and listen but whenever I find a gem I do like to share.
 
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