Unique, weird and pretty wood grain

[capncarl]

I thought I'd start a thread about unique, weird and pretty wood grain. I've seen this type thread in boating and automotive sites where everyone posts photos and a description of the subject.

[capncarl]

Ghost's backbone showing up in the grain of this cherry board that was salvaged from a storm damaged tree that was growing out of an old grave in an old cemetery. The ghost kept shutting my planer off so it had to plane the board by hand.

[leehljp]

Not sure this will post, but trying to get a pict in from my album

http://www.sawdustzone.org/album.php?albumid=157&attachmentid=21272

Got It!

I think this is Japanese Elm. Forgot what this is from but I have it written down somewhere. This was in a slab about 2 1/2 inches by about 2 feet by 3 feet and was situated in the corner of the slab. I paid about $75.00 for it just to get the grain. It was easy to see even in the rough cut of the slab. The rest of the block is fairly straight grained and I brought it home with me when I returned in 2010. Still haven't used most of it. I did turn a thermos mug - with Starbucks mug cup inside.

[Black wallnut]

Just some nice walnut crotch grain and birds eye maple

[poolhound]

Simply Awesome Hank!

Not sure this will post, but trying to get a pict in from my album[URL="http://www.sawdustzone.org/album.php?albumid=157&attachmentid=21272"]

[tfischer]

These are all great.

When I was a kid I used to see shapes in our birchwood doors the way some people see things in clouds. IN one bedroom there were two lion faces, in my bedroom was a tree and several other shapes that I can no longer remember, but mom still lives there so maybe I can grab some pics sometime.

[atgcpaul]

Before we moved to the US, my Dad was a forester in Burma. On one of his patrols, his team had to cut down a diseased padauk tree. My Dad cut off this burl then had a local craftsman fashion a table out of it. The top is almost 2' in diameter. It stands on 3 legs that look very Danish modern. As a kid in the US, I'd lie under this table as the night drew on and run my fingers over the craggy edges and doze off while my parents watched TV or read the paper--essentially trying to hide in a corner so I wouldn't have to go to bed. There are still some remnants of crayon marks on the underside.

A few years ago as my Mom packed up their house before a move, she remarked they had too much stuff and wanted to know if I wanted anything. In a heartbeat I said this table. She joked-I think-that it was my inheritance and to take it.

The table is at least 40 years old now and I'm amazed at how flat this huge burl has stayed. The top needs to be refinished but it's a scary thought. When we came to the US, my parents brought us, some clothes, $25, one cooking pot which my Mom still uses, some other items, and this table.

Paul

[Stytooner]

Here is a chess board I did several years back.
I did show it on the forum back then. The pictures did not do the board justice.
This Chess Board was made from Hard Maple and the darker pieces are Curly Flamed Maple. It has an accent around the outside border of Black Walnut. I designed the corners on this board to be forgiving when it comes to seasonal changes of
expansion and contraction. These corners won't separate like a normal mitered joint might.
It was finished with 8 coats of Formby's tung oil and poly mix.
It had depth like it was acrylic resin or something.

[gerti]

What a great thread! Thanks for starting it, Cap, eerie piece of wood.

Hank, that grain is spectacular!

Nice walnut, black walnut ;-)

And Paul, thanks for sharing that story an this very special table with us.

Great chess board, Lee!

[capncarl]

Stytooner, can you elaborate on the corners a bit more?

[Black wallnut]

Hank has that one piece that epitomizes great figure. The depth and complexity is amazing.

[reddog552]

Jewrey boxes

I made these last year. Christmas gifts.

[leehljp]

Reddog,
That is some beautiful wood! I used to be able to name by looking at each kind. Now I can't. Beautiful colors and grain!

[Stytooner]

Stytooner, can you elaborate on the corners a bit more?

Sure. Everything in this board was splined. Playing field, border and corners. The playing field itself has a baltic birch plywood backing. The border and corners are about 1.25" thick. It doesn't look like it, but all the grain in the field are running the same way.
The corners being splined and pinned at an angle is more forgiving for wood movement than a miter joint might be. A good splined miter joint won't really have any issues either especially in dense hard wood like this when it is sealed really well. That is as long as it is in a humidity controlled environment like a home. Basically just a different look that won't open up on the corners.

[poolhound]

I have had this mahogany board (~5' x 6") for nearly 5 years and have never been sure quite what to do with it. It has this strange curvey 'flame' grain running all the way down one side. Not sure how this type of grain could have been formed or how to incorporate into a project.