Pretty Book Matches

Quartering a log before sawing it sometimes provides an opportunity to create attractive book matches. Here, a sawyer posts a few examples. October 30, 2005

Question
I recently had to 1/4 a biggish log to get it on a mill. I have several pretty 24" wide book matches like below, quilted and spalted with birds eyes in some.


Click here for full size image

Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From the original questioner:
Here is another - it was dark in the shed, so the image is not great.


Click here for full size image



From the original questioner:
Here is one more, a close shot showing some birds eye.


Click here for full size image



From the original questioner:
What is it - I'm not sure, but I believe it is some maple. What I am sure of is that every flip made different boards, some wild and some mild. I quit flipping when could pull some book matches.


Click here for full size image



From the original questioner:
One flip and it was back to mild as shown below.


Click here for full size image



From contributor R:
It looks like soft maple. It's probably red maple because of the grey and pink tones in the heartwood.