I just did a google search, try it sometime, you'll like it.

Anyway, just to be nice, here's what I found.

There are an estimated 200 species of maple trees, all in the family
Aceraceae.

Here are the North American species:


amur maple
Acer ginnala

bigleaf maple
Acer macrophyllum

black maple
Acer nigrum

boxelder
Acer negundo

canyon maple
Acer grandidentatum

chalk maple
Acer leucoderme

Freeman maple
Acer x freemanii

hedge maple
Acer campestre

Japanese maple
Acer palmatum

mountain maple
Acer spicatum

Norway maple
Acer platanoides

paperbark maple
Acer griseum

red maple
Acer rubrum

Rocky Mountain maple
Acer glabrum

silver maple
Acer saccharinum

southern sugar maple
Acer barbatum

striped maple
Acer pensylvanicum

sugar maple
Acer saccharum

sycamore maple
Acer pseudoplatanus

vine maple
Acer circinatum



Of these, I've only used sugar maple, also known as hard maple or rock
maple. It is a great wood to work with, very dense and stable and is used
widely in furniture and many other things. I have also seen reference made
(but never used myself) soft maple.

Probably of more interest is the FIGURE you can get with maple. Birdseye
maple, quilted maple, fiddleback maple, etc. are very common and you can get
some amazing looking wood.

So, depending on what you are planning to use the maple for (i.e. a
workbench top would likely be made with hard maple, but a veneer for a table
might be birdseye or quilted), you will have many options.

Mike

--

There are no stupid questions.
There are a LOT of inquisitive idiots.


"DAN & CINDY" wrote in message
.. .
This is to all of the wood buffs who can tell the difference in the
maples.
1st how many different types of maple trees are there, 2nd how can you
tell
the difference. Last but not least , is one better than the other.