Re: glued up maple I carve most any wood,,,EXCEPT MAPLE. There are some softer species of it but I would guess since this is a floor,,,it's gonna' be brutally hard. If clients send a request for a quote,,and it's maple,,I turn down the job.
And Gary (Ashby) ,,,it's interesting to note that on this floor,,in order to keep it laying flat and only one side was finished,,there are 1/4 inch grooves cut on the back to help keep the floor from buckling and keep it laying flat. This is the same technique that we have discussed here at various times. Now these boards are probably only 3 inches wide or so,,,,but there are the cuts that should appear on the back of a relief carving to keep it flat as well.Even moldings you find at the lumber yard are relieved in the back as well,,,that's the groove you see running down the length of it,,it also allows for air circulation. But I digress,,,here though is a good example of relief cuts in the back of a finished piece. |