Nice slab of figured Myrtle...
(click pics to enlarge)
I fell in love with figured Myrtle (Pacific Northwest/Oregon) the first time I saw it...it is a rich, lustrous, 3-D type of shimmer that makes a bright tone given it's fairly high density.
However, when I work it into flutes, you see just how wavy the grain is, as it is prone to chipping. I always make sure the planer is set at its slowest feed speed (highest cuts per inch) so as to minimize the tearing. Alas, it can still chip, so I leave a little more 'meat on the bone' before I start the sanding process, just in case there were a deep chip I'd have to sand out.
This is a wood to definitely sand to at least 1,000 grit...yep, it'll take longer to sand as it is quite hard, but worth all the effort! While these pictures show wonderful grain, keep in mind this is re-sawn and unplaned!
One day I'll photograph the behemoth piece of figured Myrtle that is about 7 feet long. That board will yield many flutes, where the piece above will be good for two flutes and plenty of block and end cap material.
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