Legacy
Wood Crafts was formed in 1993 to use salvaged fir scraps that were left
after milling out huge beams used in Japanese Temples and specialty building.
We turned our attention to Western Broadleaf Maple with
the rare and beautiful Figure in it. We had noticed it first
in our firewood and wondered about this maple that was so hard to split.
We found out the finest flawless vivid figured maple is used in a variety
of musical instruments - solid body guitars, harps, violins, cellos, etc..
Furniture makers use veneers of the best maple and the maple burl is coveted
by turners.
Since then,
we have searched for Figured Maple of every kind, not just the perfect.
We were told it was only good for firewood once it has become spalted or
mineral stained - two processes that halt once the maple is dried. We thought
it much more beautiful and interesting than the perfect white figured maple.
Sometimes the maple ages as long as 3 years before it is milled to give
it time to color.
The most eco friendly harvest and salvage methods
possible are used, only 1 in 1500 trees approximately. The wood is milled
on a small kerf band mill giving us 35% more wood over conventional methods,
saving 70% in waste.
We dry the maple using dehumidification rooms
- it is essential to maintain cell structure in music wood, as that produces
the resonance - and it's great for cutting boards too. Kiln drying collapses
wood cell structure.
We were awed by the natural edge and began using it to make our unique and
functional cutting boards. We try to use every piece of the maple. By leaving
the natural edge, even if it has minor flaws that will not affect functionality,
much less becomes scrap. And that's what we're all about. Finding a use
for every scrap of this rare and exotic wood.
In our business endeavor we are always alert
to new uses for waste wood of all species. It is all a gift and we do our
best not squander what Nature has given us.
Boards
This is a labor intensive process. All the
shaping and sanding, apart from the initial thickness sanding, is hand done.
The Figure in the Maple makes it impossible to plane causing even the sharpest
blade to take chunks out of the face. We learned the most efficient, least
wasteful way to begin the finishing was by thickness sanding.
In the process of becoming a board, the milled,
dry planks are shaped into cutting boards, then go through 8 different stages
of sandings, finishing with a 220 grit orbital sanding.
The natural edges are cleaned with chisels and brushed with a brass brush
to remove all or any loose bark. Unnatural edges are hand shaped and sanded
smooth.
We use 100
% Pure Tung Oil to seal the wood as it is the best oil we
have found. A talented turner, Mr. Frank Takasaki, was kind enough to share
his knowledge with us and told us 100% Pure Tung
Oil was far superior to other popular food safe oils for durability
while bringing out all the colors and figure in the maple. The oil is applied
by hand with cheese cloth to the raw wood. It takes about a teaspoon to
cover the face of a medium sized board. It is the best job in the house!
The boards are air dried at room temperature.
We price them according to size, thickness, and beauty or rarity of Figure..
Enjoy!