Hard Maple or Soft?

[poolhound]

Is there any easy way to identify hard from soft Maple? I know H is denser than S and H eats blades for breakfast and S machines easily but is there a way to tell by looking or some other non destructive method?

[pelligrini]

Most everything I've read says once it is milled, it is pretty darn hard to tell apart. There might be some sort of way to do it with a microscope.

[drumpriest]

Soft maple often suffers tear out, and is more likely to have curl, so if it's curly maple, it's usually soft maple, but not always. I use the thumbnail test, if I can dent it with my fingernail, it's soft maple.

[cabinetman]

Both hard and soft may appear similar, but hard Maple is usually more consistent with a light uniform color. Soft Maple will have a more varied color with heartwood being in the brown/cream colors. Color differences will be more apparent when a clear finish is applied. Using a mix of the two on the same piece may stand out. The darker heartwood on Soft Maple will take stain differently than the HW in Hard Maple.

Other than the HW/SW differences, the weight is very noticeable. If the lumber is stacked together, just picking them up can be a tell tale. And like Keith pointed out, the thumbnail test. There are differences in machining, but it was asked about differences with non-destructive methods.
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[SARGE..g-47]

I use the thumbnail test when I run into it outside my own supplier who carries both but... has them clearly separated in bins and of couse the hard maple cost more. But... what I find is the soft will dent with the thumbnail slightly opposed to hard with the hard only getting scratched lightly.

[HarmsWay]

May depend where they wood comes from. Our hard maple is eastern North America from various locations and the soft maple is all local. With the two side by side it's easy to tell the difference. The hard maple is always lighter in colour and has much less variation. I'd describe our soft maple as a lighter coloured version of American cherry with similar figure and hardness. As Keith mentioned, the soft maple can suffer from tear out.

Bob

[RodKirby]

Machining note: If you keep your tools (tungten carbide), sharp; Hard maple is a DREAM to work with

[drumpriest]

Rod, I agree! Hard maple is one of the nicest woods that I've worked, but does take sharp tools and dulls them for you nicely.

[poolhound]

Thumbnail test seems to vary, everything seems to scratch to a degree the difference may be subtle.