Got Wood? Domestic Wood Turning Blanks Glossary of Wood Terminology, Part 2

Wood Terminology, Part 2 - Appearance & Figure
Ambrosia Lines Streaks of color in a piece of wood which are produced by the activities of the ambrosia beetle as it bores through the tree. Shows up most often in maple, beech, sycamore and birch, but can sometimes occur in other species.
Beeswing/Bee's Wing Wavy, irregular iridescent figure as shown at right in this piece of sapele wood.
Black Line Spalting Produced when multiple colonies of fungus have infected a tree. As the colonies begin to collide with one another, they create protective barriers (called "zone lines") between one another, producing the striking black lines which can occur in many species of wood, especially beech, birch, maple, and sycamore.
Bird Peck Occurs when a tree has been attacked by a bird attempting to forage for insects. Will often create small bubble-like patterns on the surface of the wood, somewhat similar to a birdseye pattern as shown below.
Birdseye/Bird's Eye A grain pattern which can occur in nearly any type of wood, but that shows up most often in hardwoods...particularly maple. The effect is produced by the growth of many very small branches (branchlets)
Block Mottle Very uncommon, iridescent effect shown in this piece of makore wood to the right.
Burr/Burl One of the most sought after grain patterns in wood turning, cut from large, bulbous growths called burls (see explanation above). The grain of the wood often runs in many different directions, producing stunning effects. This same multi-directional grain pattern, though, can make it much more difficult to dry than typical woods, and much care must be taken to ensure consistent results.
Crotchwood/Crotchwood Feathering Crotchwood feathering refers to the featherlike appearance of the grain pattern displayed at the intersection of multiple limbs of a tree, as displayed by the piece of walnut at right.
Curl/Tiger Stripe A wavy, iridescent pattern found in many species of hardwoods, particularly in maple. The wavy lines are usually somewhat straight, and normally are produced when the wood has been flat sawn.
Fiddleback Similar to curly figure shown above, but the lines are much more parallel and straight. These lines are typically produced when the wood has been quartersawn.
Flame Typically refers to the streaks of red which are produced in the heartwood portions of some box elder trees, which is a dark reddish-pink color, producing a flame like appearance across the surface of the wood.
Gum/Sap Lines Produced when small voids in the wood tissue of a tree are filled with deposits of gum, sap, or resin which has hardened, producing dark streaks of brown or black. Shows up frequently in fruitwood tree species.
Mineral Stain Refers to the discoloration of wood due to the mineral content of the surrounding soil. Occurs commonly in maple, tulip poplar, and sweet gum (which is how red gum is produced). Can also occur in many other species.
Pomelle/Blister Iridescent figure which appears on the surface of the wood, looking much like many tightly grouped blisters. Very similar to quilted figure, but much more dramatic and pronounced. It is quite an uncommon type of grain pattern.
Ray Fleck Refers to the appearance of the medullary rays of a tree, produced when wood is quartersawn. These rays are basically ducts which conduct nutrients between the outer and inner parts of the tree. The example shown at right, American sycamore, produces a fantastic ray fleck pattern when quartersawn. Many other species display excellent ray fleck patterns, such as red oak, white oak and beech.
Spalt Wood which has undergone a fungal infection, changing the color of the wood to many varying shades which would not typically appear in the given species of tree. Species such as maple, sycamore, holly, beech, and birch tend to produce the most dazzling patterns and colors.
Quilt Refers to wood which has an iridescent grain pattern which tends to swirl in many different directions across the surface of the wood. This figure shows up most often in maples, and sometimes cherry and walnut, but can occur in nearly any species of tree.
Wormy Describes wood which has insect damage, leaving holes and meandering trails in the wood. While sometimes these woods are avoided, at other times they are highly sought after. Wormy chestnut, as pictured here, is an excellent example of such wood.