Maple Jewelry Box - 163
Measures 10" x 8" x 6" $125
Flame maple (tiger maple) body: Also known as flamed maple , curly maple , ripple maple , fiddleback or tiger stripe , is a feature of maple in which the growth of the wood fibers is distorted in an undulating chatoyant pattern, producing wavy lines known as "flames". This effect is often mistakenly said to be part of the grain of the wood; it is more accurately called "figure", as the distortion is perpendicular to the grain direction. Prized for its beautiful appearance, it is used frequently in the manufacturing of musical instruments, such as violins and bassoons, and fine furniture. Another well-known use of the material is its use in guitars, especially the venerated Gibson Les Paul. The Gibson Les Paul "Standard", initially manufactured from 1958 to 1960, sported a flame maple top finished in a cherry-red sunburst on a mahogany body. Today, these instruments are some of the most prized on the vintage guitar market, and as such are unaffordable to most musicians.
Walnut Trim: Walnut is the only North American hardwood that has a rich, dark-colored wood. Walnut trees tend to grow with few bends which leads to straight wood grain. The trees themselves can be up to 100 feet tall and up to 3 feet in diameter. There are about 20 different species of walnut and six of those are found in the United States. Walnut material works well with hand tools and power tools. It is also an ideal wood for carvings, wood turnings and is prized as a veneer. Wood workers value the wood because it takes well to fasteners and glue plus it rarely has sap pockets that can create blemishes that diminish the beauty of a project. In addition, walnut does not mar easily and, since the wood is so dark, scratches and chips that do occur are well hidden. Walnut is used in a variety of products from cabinets to luxury car detailing to airplane propellers. Its exceptionally straight grain allows for little compression and great shock resistance, so the wood is the material of choice for gun stocks. Walnut can also be found in doors, mill work, wood turnings, decorative work, furniture and musical instruments.