Really depends on what I'm working on but lately lots of exterior remodeling on my house - my house is almost 100% made of old growth redwood, which is rather cost prohibitive these days for things like fences, porches, house skirting etc and the young growth redwood being sold is mostly garbage. As a result, I've switched mostly to locally milled western red cedar - I'm able to get clear, tight-grain cedar that is gorgeous and has at least some level of rot resistance.
For interior trim work, I'm always a fan of clear Douglas fir. I haven't had much time for turning these days but still have some large blocks of big-leaf maple and some madrone waiting for the day I do - both are beautiful wood...not sure how they will fare for turning but time will tell. Other interesting wood that is more local to this area is bay laurel (also known as "Pepperwood" and "myrtlewood" around these parts), Oregon ash, tan oak, and Port Orford cedar.
Most popular wood?
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chipping in late
My favorite is mesquite. I love the way it turns, the way it smells when you're working it and the way it looks; with or without a finish. I only wish I was closer to the southwest so I could get some. It is non-existent here in northwest Arkansas and I am very picky about what I do with the few tiny pieces I do have. I am actually jealous of you guys in AZ or west TX that can pick it up by the roadside or at a construction site for free.
I would love to try some Bethlehem olive. Another beautiful wood with an excellent texture when finished.
What do I use? Cherry, walnut and oak because that's what's available around here. I do like cherry. Not particularly crazy about walnut. Oak is reliable, but the grain is too open for smaller projects. I'd use more maple, but you just can't get that around here either.
I would love to try some Bethlehem olive. Another beautiful wood with an excellent texture when finished.
What do I use? Cherry, walnut and oak because that's what's available around here. I do like cherry. Not particularly crazy about walnut. Oak is reliable, but the grain is too open for smaller projects. I'd use more maple, but you just can't get that around here either.
'55 Greenie #292284 (Mar-55), '89 SS 510 #020989, Mark VII #408551 (sold 10/14/12), SS Band Saw, (SS 500 #36063 (May-79) now gone to son-in-law as of 11-11), Magna bandsaw, Magna jointer 16185 (May-54), Magna belt sander SS28712 (Dec-82), Magna jigsaw SS4397 (Dec-78), SS biscuit joiner, Zyliss (knockoff) vise, 20+ hand planes, 60s Craftsman tablesaw, CarbaTec mini-lathe, and the usual pile of tools. Hermit of the Hills Woodworks, a hillbilly in the foothills of the Ozarks, scraping by.
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ronald_jin
- Bronze Member
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- Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:21 am
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commercial kitchen supplies
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robinson46176
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 4182
- Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:00 pm
- Location: Central Indiana (Shelbyville)
Since one of my favorite kind of project is reproducing some of the old country furniture as was often made in the east and Midwest by itinerant woodworkers or farmers (not the "country cute" stuff made these days) I prefer yellow (tulip) poplar that was commonly used for it here.
I also like ash for places that need to be sturdier. I like the look of sycamore but have found it to tend to be kind of unstable even long term especially in a little damper location. Chestnut was often used for some of that furniture but is about non-existent here now. The same goes for gum trees.
I also like walnut but have sold most of the walnut logs that have become mature to the veneer mill for pretty good $$$$.
I do have a couple of hundred board feet of walnut that I bought at auction maybe 12 years ago for almost nothing, stored in a barn that I want to use for the exposed parts of a couple of cabinets and a few bookcases. The unseen parts will probably be "mixed hardwoods"
that I have on hand.
I do "finally" have my sawmill sat up and have "played" with it a little. A number of other factors have improved of late and I hope to get a good bit of sawing done yet this winter (depending on the weather we get). I will be starting with mostly cottonwood for some new horse stalls. Horses don't much like the taste of it and so leave it alone. It is a little less strong than some woods but that can be made up for in this case by just cutting it a little oversize. I also want to cut a good bit of it because I have quite a bit of it and want to replace those trees with something of more value.
I have no illusions of harvesting anything I plant now
but I seriously believe in not just taking and using without replacing. Much of what I cut today even for firewood is stuff that I planted and managed from my younger days. I'm not big scale but I have a 2 acre pine plantation almost 20 years old and recently started a dense half acre "walnut grove". I also have a couple of tiny old woodlots here and 17 acres of trees over in the next county east. I hope to plant a couple of hundred seedlings this spring and need to order them next month. At least 100 of those will be sugar maples planted on a long hillside where "someday" they could be tapped and gravity fed to a processing shed sitting near the base of the hill. That activity will be my son's decisions but at least I can make a start and give him the options.
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I also like ash for places that need to be sturdier. I like the look of sycamore but have found it to tend to be kind of unstable even long term especially in a little damper location. Chestnut was often used for some of that furniture but is about non-existent here now. The same goes for gum trees.
I also like walnut but have sold most of the walnut logs that have become mature to the veneer mill for pretty good $$$$.
I do have a couple of hundred board feet of walnut that I bought at auction maybe 12 years ago for almost nothing, stored in a barn that I want to use for the exposed parts of a couple of cabinets and a few bookcases. The unseen parts will probably be "mixed hardwoods"
that I have on hand.I do "finally" have my sawmill sat up and have "played" with it a little. A number of other factors have improved of late and I hope to get a good bit of sawing done yet this winter (depending on the weather we get). I will be starting with mostly cottonwood for some new horse stalls. Horses don't much like the taste of it and so leave it alone. It is a little less strong than some woods but that can be made up for in this case by just cutting it a little oversize. I also want to cut a good bit of it because I have quite a bit of it and want to replace those trees with something of more value.
I have no illusions of harvesting anything I plant now
but I seriously believe in not just taking and using without replacing. Much of what I cut today even for firewood is stuff that I planted and managed from my younger days. I'm not big scale but I have a 2 acre pine plantation almost 20 years old and recently started a dense half acre "walnut grove". I also have a couple of tiny old woodlots here and 17 acres of trees over in the next county east. I hope to plant a couple of hundred seedlings this spring and need to order them next month. At least 100 of those will be sugar maples planted on a long hillside where "someday" they could be tapped and gravity fed to a processing shed sitting near the base of the hill. That activity will be my son's decisions but at least I can make a start and give him the options. .
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farmer
Francis Robinson
I did not equip with Shopsmiths in spite of the setups but because of them.
1 1988 - Mark V 510 (bought new), 4 Poly vee 1 1/8th HP Mark V's, Mark VII, 1 Mark V Mini, 1 Frankensmith, 1 10-ER, 1 Mark V Push-me-Pull-me Drillpress, SS bandsaw, belt sander, jointer, jigsaw, shaper attach, mortising attach, TS-3650 Rigid tablesaw, RAS, 6" long bed jointer, Foley/Belsaw Planer/molder/ripsaw, 1" sander, oscillating spindle/belt sander, Scroll saw, Woodmizer sawmill
farmer
Francis Robinson
I did not equip with Shopsmiths in spite of the setups but because of them.
1 1988 - Mark V 510 (bought new), 4 Poly vee 1 1/8th HP Mark V's, Mark VII, 1 Mark V Mini, 1 Frankensmith, 1 10-ER, 1 Mark V Push-me-Pull-me Drillpress, SS bandsaw, belt sander, jointer, jigsaw, shaper attach, mortising attach, TS-3650 Rigid tablesaw, RAS, 6" long bed jointer, Foley/Belsaw Planer/molder/ripsaw, 1" sander, oscillating spindle/belt sander, Scroll saw, Woodmizer sawmill
Favourite
I guess mine would have to be maple purely because I have used it the most as maple is the most durable and cheapest in my area. But to work, by far the best is walnut when you use blades that are nice and crisply sharp it cuts just like butter, and carving walnut is almost pure pleasure it just glides to where you want it.
Dan
Dan
Mark V 520,Mark V 510(2),Mark V 500(2) Dust Collector(2), Jointer(2), bandsaw(2), jigsaw, beltsander, biscuit joiner(2) Lathe Duplicator, RingMaster, Pro planer
Mine used to be red oak, because I got a lot of it for almost nothing years ago, but I am about to get tried of it and try something else.
Joe
520, Bandsaw, Beltsander, Delta Drill Press, Delta Lathe, Craftsman Planner/Jointer, Delta Planner, Mini "Greenie" Shorty 500
Being a VETERAN is an honor
Being a GRANDPA is priceless
520, Bandsaw, Beltsander, Delta Drill Press, Delta Lathe, Craftsman Planner/Jointer, Delta Planner, Mini "Greenie" Shorty 500
Being a VETERAN is an honor
Being a GRANDPA is priceless
Favorite Wood
wrmnfzy - now you are dating yourself!
Alan - Austin, Texas
Shopsmith Mark V (1984), Bandsaw, Joiner, Belt sander, jig saw, planer, router table, biscuit jointer, Porter jig,
Shopsmith Mark V (1984), Bandsaw, Joiner, Belt sander, jig saw, planer, router table, biscuit jointer, Porter jig,