The old saying is “Hard as H@#$!” I now use the new, more accurate saying, according to me, which is Hard as Maple!
I recently decided I needed to repair one of the maple glass doors (shown in photo). This was to be an easy task, simply to drill a couple holes in the maple (about an inch deep) with my ordinary electric drill motor. The part that wrinkled my plans was the fact that I was drilling into the end-grain of the maple.
I first tried one of my old antique drill bits. It came in a set of 40 year old Craftmen’s that I bought at an antique store some years ago. I thought they were pretty sharp bits, given their age. Unfortunately, ten minutes of hard drilling produced only about a quarter inch indent in the maple end-piece. The bit was hot as hell! Well, that’s another old saying.
So, I went to my toolbox and pulled out another bit. This one was newer, purchased within the last couple years from a big box home improvement store. I drilled and I drilled and I drilled. In about five minutes, with quite a bit of smoke, I had my hole. Maple end-grain is damned hard. I wonder how it compares to steel? There’s probably a reason they use it for the lanes of bowling alleys LOL.
Musings 
Imagine using a hand drill before the electric drill was invented! makes one appreciate the woodworking of long ago!
Yeah, well the antique bits were the trouble. And, then the home improvement store bits were just as bad. I found a guy in Montana who sells special cobalt bits, and bought a couple from him. They actually work without putting blisters on my drill hand! Still takes a while for the maple tho …
BTW: thanks for the comment. I have around 50,000 – 75000 page views (current counter has been reset, plus i have other blogs to add to total) – but I have only two or three comments (other than mom). So, these pages are not changing the world in any way LOL. Good writing exercise tho … thanks for chiming in Kevin!
Shoot should probably Sign off when replying….speaking with your sis…..but no problem. I enjoy reading your posts. I’m amazed at the level of your intelligence. You bring up so many topics I would never have delved into on the level you have. I like learning with this and applying your thoughts to what I vaguely know on the subject matters. I have to admit….sometimes the questions I have almost hurt my brain! So I back off because I know I don’t have those answers…but wish I did..lol Someday I suppose it will all make sense.
Hi Sis,
My brain doesn’t clock any faster cycles than yours. I guess it’s just that when we’re really interested in a topic, we allocate more cycles to checking it out. So, my needlework (or insert your favorite hobby here) is not getting very many allocated cycles today LOL. Some people who fly at the higher altitudes, and mostly want only the big pictures of life (like where’s the superbowl party gonna be?) – are actually annoyed by guys who want to linger on the details of any esoteric subject.
Yet – these guys can recite every foible or hero moment their favorite sports guy ever commited in his/her athletic career. Just apples and oranges, and some guys like the latter.
Beautiful Woodworking Ron!