OK all,
I was at my local lumber dealer this weekend, and they had something in stock they were calling "Black Maple". I think in some other places, they might call it "Caramelized Maple" (which makes me think of pancakes, but that's something else all together).
It's basically maple (soft, I think), that has been heat treated somehow so that the color resembles walnut. Kind of a medium-dark brown. The color goes all the way through the board, so you can't cut or sand it off.
But speaking of cutting, it smells like... burnt... when you cut it. The dealer told me it was somewhat more brittle than regular maple, but otherwise similar. They had some frame and panel doors they had put together with it, and they seemed fine. It was going for $4.25/bf, so I picked some up and am going to try to build a mirror with it. It's in the shop acclimating now.
Has anyone worked with this stuff? Should I be concerned about the burnt/brittleness? Will it take glue OK? Finishing? I'm wondering if it would be OK to use in a load-bearing application like a chair, table, or entertainment center?
I'm interested in any experience anyone may have with this stuff. Picture attached.
Thanks - James