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I just started to resaw some maple from a tree that my dad cut down last year. When I took the first cut, it reeked of urine. My whole shop still smells horrible. Any one know why this happens?

It might have gotten peed on. I had some maple I knew my cat had peed on a couple years previous. When I cut into it, the smell was awful. So the smell does get in and stay. Good news for you is that it's probably localized and not throughout the whole stash of that wood.

Peace,
Sanaka

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...imagine there were no hypothetical situations...

could also be dogs and deer and drunk kids.....

good luck finding the part that is peed on - I would throw out the first 4 feet or so

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It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX

Had a similar occurrence with some Zebra wood...it wreaked of urine while cutting it. Since it was for a dash board in a Cal Look Bug I sealed both sides and captured the odor until I cut the holes for the radio, switches and the speedometer & gauges. Had to brush sealer on the inside of the holes to stop it from stinking.

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"Try to be the person your dog thinks you are."

http://sites.google.com/site/bertsguitarshop/

If the wood wasn't stored in an odd place where dogs or others would be using it for "territory marking" my bet is you've got a section that was under a squirrel's (or other varmin'ts) nest in the tree. Try cutting a different section to see whether it's localized. From other experience, cat pee is a very long lasting scent. Not sure I'd use that section on an acoustic guitar.