Well here is the proof. My wife and I dried this huge leaf last fall. She just set it out as a fall decoration. The tenor ukulele is for contrast.
They don't call it "big leaf Maple" for nothing. Acer Macrophylum is a common deciduous tree on the northwest coast. It's strong wood makes excellent instrument bodies, and when highly figured it is frequently wonderfully beautiful. When spalted it can be sublime. The peg head plate on this uke is "big leaf".
Meanwhile, down in the workshop I got the necks roughly carved and glued to the sound boards. The next task will be shaping and attaching the butt blocks- Then it will be time to attach the sides.