Box Elder

This is a type of maple that was planted by early settlers in the prarie lands of the United States as a shade tree. When not resin impregnated (it is usually sold stabilized for turnery) it is a fairly lightweight wood. Specific gravity is .42 to .45, making it similar to fir. When stabilized with resin, the specific gravity becomes much higher and the wood is considered good for woodturning. The tree has been used for maple syrup production, and the plain wood is sometimes used for making crates or furniture. The most sought after pieces have nice pink/reddish lines and sometimes a little blue grey spalting. The vast majority of boards have no red in them at all. All pieces sold below have been kiln-dried and resin impregnated to stabilize them for turnery, knifemaking and other projects.