Favorite Wood

Favorite Wood · 11-17-2007, 06:23 PM

What's your favorite wood species and why?

FredP · 11-17-2007, 06:33 PM

WALNUT!!!!!! cause jeff dont sell mahogany!!!!

DaveO · 11-17-2007, 07:27 PM

I would have to say Walnut also. I like it's rich color, ease of workability, and how well it contrasts and compliments other woods.
But my most favorite wood is free....I'll take some of it anyday

Dave

SteveHall · 11-17-2007, 07:37 PM

I like maple. To me it is a lot like vanilla ice cream--it is basic, subtle, grows on you as you get older, and a lot of things go with it. It is native, replentishable/renewable, hard and good to work with. And it has interesting flavors like birds eye and curly. Plus, it is very versatile, you can always stain it darker or bleach it nearly white.

woodlaker2 · 11-17-2007, 10:53 PM

I assume you are talking about domestic woods, right? Of those, Walnut and Cherry are at the top of my list for their rich appearance in almost any project. QSW/RO for Arts and Crafts (Stickley and Green and Greene) furniture building are next for me. Oak and walnut present good contrast in the right project too. All of the above mill and finish well although some WW's I know feel cherry is tricky to finish. The figure you can get in walnut and cherry can also be exceptional. Unfortunately figured wood is getting too expensive for most but the rarest cases. If you talking about imports it's mahogany and brazilian cherry at the moment.

11-17-2007, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by DaveO

I would have to say Walnut also. I like it's rich color, ease of workability, and how well it contrasts and compliments other woods.
But my most favorite wood is free....I'll take some of it anyday

Dave

Speaking of free wood - I got a few pieces of ERC funk for you. It might satisfy your wood turning addiction for a few mins and make a few pens.

It's not a knot, even though it kinda looks like one, it's a small burl.

I'll leave it here on my desk, remind me next time I come into town and I'll bring to for you.

Thanks

JimmyC · 11-18-2007, 12:39 AM

I am a traditionalist, Red oak is my favorite, just because. People learn to like Filet mignon, chateu briand, and other fancy foods, I like that stuff also, but nothing beats Pot Roast, turkey, stew, meatloaf, etc.. And I fell the same way about my wood, give me red or white oak, maple, or cherry and you can never go wrong.

Jimmy

mcoston2 · 11-18-2007, 05:33 AM

I love to work with all woods. But I think I would have to say that Cedar is my favorite. It has some hidden grains in it and when you turn a bowl or a pen or a flute, the grain will pop out and so will other hidden qualities.

ScottM · 11-18-2007, 06:07 AM

I have to with maple and red oak as my favorites. But I am always looking for new woods to try. As for why, I guess my answers are:
they work well
they finish well
are generally easy to obtain

4yanks · 11-18-2007, 06:19 AM

I like to make reproductions of early American furniture. So I work a lot in Maple and Walnut (can't afford Mahogany). For more rustic pieces I like SYP. But read somewhere that White Oak is the king of woods and I agree. It is hard, flexible and strong. When plain or rift sawn it does not have a fancy appearance but is still attractive. Of course when QS it is as flamboyant as anything else on the planet. It works well in almost any role from tool handle to fancy veneer and everything in between.

DaveO · 11-18-2007, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by jeff...

Speaking of free wood - I got a few pieces of ERC funk for you. It might satisfy your wood turning addiction for a few mins and make a few pens.

It's not a knot, even though it kinda looks like one, it's a small burl.

I'll leave it here on my desk, remind me next time I come into town and I'll bring to for you.

Thanks

Thanks Jeff, that would be awesome. That last bit of ERC "funk" you came across really made some spectacular turnings. I really appreciate you thinking of me when you see some funkiness

Dave

golfdad · 11-18-2007, 07:53 AM

With Mike and others on this one..........Maple with a Walnut accent is gorgeous........Do like Cherry too

Nativespec · 11-18-2007, 08:36 AM

Walnut has a beautiful grain that pops out after a simple finish. I have been using a lot of cherry, and some boards of furniture I cannot take my eyes off of, some is not so good. It takes a lot of cherry to sort through to build somthing. Mahogany, which can have a lot of inconsistancy as well, is a very interesting and an attracitive wood due to that inconsistancy.

I do not like oak, probably because it is so common here.

1.Walnut
2.Mahogany
3.Cherry
4.Paduk (makes cool looking orange sawdust)
5.Maple

Thanks,

David

Ray Martin · 11-18-2007, 08:57 AM

Jeff,

I think my favorite is Walnut. I do have to agree with Dave, free is the best with reasonable / available as a second best. In order of preference I'd have to say walnut, (beauty and workability), Cherry (for the same reasons but Walnut is easier to finish), and then red oak (beauty).

Ray

skeeter · 11-18-2007, 09:40 AM

I think Maple because of the different figures (birds eye, curly, etc.) Walnut and Cherry, though I have more problems staining Cherry.

Mahogany next. Its pretty and easy to work.

Exotics are great for special projects, but can't afford to use them on a regular basis.