As you probably noticed I posted a topic titled "What's Your Favorite Wood for Cabinetry & Furniture" so now I am posting this request to know what other shop projects and types of wood you like for the particular project. Please post the name of project and wood favorite..........thanks for your thoughts and let the games begin..........

 

Depending on what subject specific project I am turning I prefer closed grain hardwoods. I also like to turn hedge or some know the species as bois d'arc or osage orange. 

 

I also like to work with ebony, figured walnut, figured maple, etc. for special projects where grain and / or color are desired. 

 

For woodcarving and again depending on the project I like basswood or sugar white pine for some work or a closed grain hardwood for others. 

 

I also like to work with old barn wood or reclaimed wood with some form of "personality" such as age can on occasion produce. 

 

Then obviously typical construction softwoods for some molding work and for other molding or beam work a natural finished hardwood. 

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts ~ Dan

All depends on the project. For smaller pieces like jewelry box etc I like Cherry ans Maple mixed. For things like all shelves I like Oak, Cherry or Walnut. It all depends on the way the wood looks, if it likes like the project you want to build, use it. I iwll admit to going through a lot of wood to get a project the way I want it to look. Grain patterns etc. I don't do turning (yet) but when it come to furniture of displays the wood can make or break the whole project.

Best Wishes

Wayne

 

My woodworking is not as comprehensive as yours Dan, but when I build cabinets, kitchen cabinets for example, I will build using cabinet grade ply with hardwood veneer but for the doors of course are solid. I have built solid pine cabinets before just for the simple fact that for the cost of solid pine, it is actually less expensive verses pine veneered ply.

For my chairs that I have been building lately, I am looking for slab or near slab lumber. I found out by purchasing that wonderful Claro from Rob Durfos, that the reclaimed wild lumber is quite striking in all its character flaws and faults. It takes a bit more to work around those character marks and cracks, but the outcome is beautiful.

For smaller case work such as blanket chests and the likes, about the only lumber I have been able to acquire is 4/4 but after the retailer is done with it, I get only 3/4 net, I wish there was a place around us that I could purchase a true 4/4.

I love working with walnut, cherry, and maple, I must admit, the oak is getting worn out in my mind. I have lived with oak since the 80's and it seemed for awhile there, everything was made from oak. But, and a big but, while up at Rob Durfos's place, he has some Live Oak that is to die for. His Live Oak renewed my interest in oak, but only within that particular species of oak. Some day I am going to get a slab of the Live Oak from Rob, and make a big ol coffee table.

For shop jigs, the rare occasion I have made them, I'll use ply scraps and cut offs, if I plan a jig out really well, and it's not spur of the moment decision to build it, I'll make a run to pick up some Baltic Birch.

Overall, my favorite wood is walnut, I just love the deep rich color and streaks. As I branch out more and more with my woodworking, I'll have a more interesting tale to tell about the exotics I plan on using in future projects.

Great talk Dan, thanks for asking

I like to use different woods for many things. I have built a few side tables and as much as I can I like to use the color of the wood and let it speak. I have built a round table with Purple Heart. Yea, talk about hard that is some tough stuff but I really love the contrast the top and lower shelf gave to the maple legs. No stain on that table, just the color of the wood. Same thing with a cherry table and reclaimed maple legs. Two contrasting woods. But with that I am working on a table out of QSWO right now.

 

For cutting boards, again I like the different woods for the color in the patterns I use. Walnut, cherry, maple, purple heart, blood wood, Paduk, give the boards a very unique look. They are all good to work with, the purple heart is a little more difficult at times than the others.

 

Pens, I love to use everything I can find for pens. Domestic and exotic are all good. I like to cut the with the grain, on an angle and cross grain. They give a different look depending on the way you cut and turn them.

 

I like this and I will have to add a little more to it later.....

Charles

What a great table that is. I am sure who ever made it, then whoever purchased it are both very happy. That table is just stunning. Maybe somedady I will be that good. Until then I keep working on it and learning new things constantly. Getting a greater appreciation of hand tools and their uses. Thanks for sharing that picture with us.

Charles Nicholls said:

I'm going to share a picture here, but before i do, I want to make it clear that this is not mine, I did not make it nor did I take t he picture of it. I simply saved the picture to my computer because I loved it so much. At one point this was for sale but I looked at it again a few days later and it had sold.

 

It's a coffee table made of Macassar Ebony, I just love this thing and wish it was mine.