Bradford pear turns nice and when it is dry it is hard. 

I have turned Bradford pear into rolling pins and writing pens. My tools must have been dull as it chipped. My first sanding was 100 grit and they looked very good. I have turned wild cherry and it turns as soft as mahogany.  I tried turning kiln dried poplar and it chips badly.  

That sycamore is sweet. First time to ever see the wood. 

I do love some Box Elder!

Cocobola, Bloodwood are two others.

Side note, to FlGatorwood. I am from Pensacola, we left there in the early 70's. Lived very close to the Airport.

Edited January 15Jan 15 by timbertoes

3 hours ago, timbertoes said:

I do love some Box Elder!

Cocobola, Bloodwood are two others.

Side note, to FlGatorwood. I am from Pensacola, we left there in the early 70's. Lived very close to the Airport.

Me Too!! I have a log that's waiting to be processed.

There are far too many wood species for me to have a favorite. Why? Because everytime I think I've found the prettiest another comes along. World wide it seems endless. In North America alone there are too many to choose. It often comes down to what you like and what appears pretty to you but then succumbs to affordability, opening your wallet and taking the plunge to splurge, availability, does it work for your project etc., etc.

For the exotics, Cocobolo, Bubinga, Paduak, and I just discovered another called "Dalbergia". It goes on and on. 

I love Spalted Maple and Spalted Pine and use alot of it. It's easily to get for me. In general, I like wood that pops and has drama in the grain. 

 

Edited January 15Jan 15 by MrRick

On 1/3/2026 at 7:20 PM, FlGatorwood said:

.... I have turned Bradford pear into rolling pins ..

 

How does the Pear wood work for you? Is it very hard? What does the grain look like? Pretty or subdued?

55 minutes ago, MrRick said:

 

How does the Pear wood work for you? Is it very hard? What does the grain look like? Pretty or subdued?

It's not really a "pear" tree. It has become a nuisance tree around here. Blossoms smell terrible and the tree damages easily with high winds. Turns pretty nice. Pale in color.

Bradford Pear is an ornamental. Not a nuisance here . It turns well and looks a great deal like cherry. another fault to the tree is it does not have a central leader so the branches come off like your fingers when you spread your hand and when maturing winds play havoc with them unless have been pruned.

Pear is very nice, and Kingwood