I was perusing the classifieds on WOOD, and they are selling 13 figured maple trees. I was curious, how do you know if there is figure in a tree until you mill it out?
Of course there are some obvious signs, like a big ol burl hanging off the side or some crotch. But how does the guy know if there is some birds-eye o tiger in there?
More of a curios question then a criticism of the seller of said trees.

That is a good question. I have always wondered some of that myself just didn't want to ask.

I got some pieces of Maple from a guy that cut it down in his yard. I had no idea from what I could see that it had as much spalting in it as it had. When I started turning the pieces, it really came out.

I also bought some walnut here a while back and I have run into all kind of voids in the wood when I start milling it down. Didn't see any sign of it until I started running it through the planer.

I also posted some questions over on Wood a year or so ago about some dark lines I had in some white maple. Saw no signs of the lines while it was rough, but when I started running it through the planer there they were, Turned out it was sticker stain from the wood they had used to put between the boards.

So how do you know, good question. I will certainly follow this one.

Thanks John I am waiting for Mike Williams to chime in on this too, he seems to be pretty knowledgeable with this sort of stuff.