This may not be the right place for this post, but I thought I would start here and get any input I could. I have a 40 year old Sugar Maple in my backyard that is going to be cut down due to power line interference. It has never been trimmed back in anyway to my knowledge (the limbs grow to within 3 or 4 ft. of the ground). I am trying to find out if the stump (after it has dried and stabilized) would be worth saving for a custom stock. Any info. would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Dennis

about the only way you will know is to dig it up and cut the big taproot into blanks. You'll be able to see graining then. quarter sawn is best, but looses the most in scrap. Make sure it dries for 4 or more years.

FYI Maple does not checker well.

Maple is not often used in stock work, unless it is of the 'Curly' variety.
It tends to be a very hard and heavy wood and in my opinion a hassle to work with.

-Spencer

Personally Maple is a fine wood for furniture making....cabinet work...and the like.....I had a stock made from maple and contrary to previous posts it checkered very well. However I have an electric carbide checkering tool!!

It's important that it truly is a suger maple and not a silver or other softer maple....

My advice is to have the trunk and large limbs sawed into lumber, let it air dry for a couple years properly stacked and sell it to a cabinet maker and take the proceeds and get your self a beautiful walnut blank.

If, in the process of sawing, you notice great grain with dark streaks and feather crotch or burl style of grain you might want to take a 3" cut and gamble on making a stock. If you do this leave the wood natural in color...by this I mean don't stain it. If the wood isn't pleasing in it's natural color let it become a door in the house. No matter what you do you will wind up with an expensive stock....be your own judge!!!

As far as digging out the stump wood....I think that after a few hours effort you give up and call in a back hoe to go around the stump then dig it out.....it's a very expensive piece of wood.....a big walnut tree.....maybe.....I wouldn't do it with a maple.....