Quote Originally Posted by Kevin View Post
TxCajun,

All I can say about tiger maple is never underestimate the beauty of this wood especially when John Buchanan uses it to build a piece of furniture. I have a glass bowl, full of glass floats, sitting on one of his tiger maple tables. The glass refracts indirect sunlight across the grain of the maple and the color of John’s finish changes through out the day.

As for the lamp shades, I am exploring different shapes that are all based upon abstracted flower blossoms. My current vision is the lamp shades will have an organic but refined shape and more than likely, will be red. Once I have a final shape and texture then I will have to determine how the lamp shades will be fabricated, i.e., blown, slumped in a mold, or draped over a mold. At this point, the only thing about the design that is set in stone is the shades will need to be somewhere in the 15-20 inch diameter range and my wife has the final decision.

Once I have the shades in hand then I will select a wood to compliment the glass shades and the other furniture and accessories in the room. My lamp project will definitely take a year or two to complete but it will be a fun journey since I would like to fabricate the lamp shades.
Hi, Kevin.

I most definitely am a fan of Tiger Maple. It is gorgeous, especially when an expert woodworker puts it through its paces, such as in your pieces. My only hesitation regarding your lamps is in that I am ignorant of the wood itself. When it comes to a wood's natural state, I am fairly knowledgeable about old Long Leaf Pine, Texas Mesquite, and some Oaks. I know just enough (not more than just enough) to understand what it takes to get it from field to furniture. Other than its beauty, I know nothing about Tiger Maple. Other than Japanese and Bigtooth Maples, I know so little about Maple trees that I might not recognize one if I bumped into it. That is why I questioned the use of Tiger Maple in the making of a floor lamp. Does it grow in such a way that it will give you the length and turning for that application with that grain pattern coming through?

Your vision for those lamps sounds beautiful. What a lovely room you are creating. Now that you've mentioned red as a shade color preference, what have you been considering for the lamp base color? And, what a special thing that you will be able to say, "I made those shades."

TXCajun