This was built on a challenge from one of the Colorado Patriot Guard Riders when I met up with them in February on my son's return home.

he handed me the flag in a ziplock baggy along with the woman's business card, who hands these out to returning troops and family members.

I brought the flag home and built this cover for it.

Thank You SteveR or the cbid crew.. whoever added this on this fine day...

Hog

Spalted maple. Gorgeous!!!

^ Actually that is spalted.. but not hard Maple.. or Maple.. it is Sycamore and I'll be posting a couple other pics of this wood in larger size...

I've got tons of wood that has the spalting in it and me personally think it's the best looking wood out there...

I've argued (Imagine that?) on wood forums about how the spalting happens?

myself I believe it is from a live tree that gets hit by lightning... the ark of electricity that runs through that tree causes all the viens of "Water/moisture" in that tree to cause these dark and colorful viens in the wood...

everyone will argue it's from fallen/downed tree's that lay for a year or better in the timber....

my thinking is.. if so? then hows come they are not bug ridden and softer woods when harvested??

I'm sticking to lightening strikes....

My brother and I harvested a Hickory a few years ago that had been hit by lightning... it has the same veins running through it from branches to stump...

btw the hit took (Blew it) off the stump about 4' up from the ground...

Hog, you got mad skills!

Goody

OK Russ.

I want to see the video of you folding that flag....:-)

^ Barry,

I did not fold this flag.. the woman who did and makes these for our returning Soldiers lives in Colorado and with the worle wind and speed of this forum... email me if you want her direct email contact...

Hog

Russ,

I just thought it would be hard for one of us to fold a flag this small. I know my fingers couldn't do it.

B

^ for me for sure...

She even tucks the last fold in like on larger flags.. pretty amazing to me how she does it..