Sycamore Hides Its Best Figure in the Rays

American Sycamore contains conspicuously broad wood rays that extend outward from the tree’s center. When those rays are exposed on a quartersawn or radial surface, they create shimmering lace-like flecks that look entirely different from ordinary flatsawn grain.

Surprising takeaway: Two Sycamore blanks cut from the same log can display radically different figure. Orienting the show surface close to the radial plane reveals the strongest ray pattern.