Do you have a favorite wood for your projects?

[Glenn1]

Just curious to see if there are a couple of species of wood that you prefer to use in your projects. I guess we could make this into a poll but would need help from a moderator. My favorite happens to be walnut. This should be an easy one for everyone to answer who is logged in.

 

[Henry W]

Maple, cherry, walnut are my go to species. Exotics for accents or table tops.

Henry

 

[Endless Pursuit]

Free wood is my favorite.

After that, walnut.

 

[Skymaster]

Walnut WAS until I just got a price update from my supplier :{

 

[Phil S]

Cherry

 

[dancam]

QSWO, Cherry, Walnut and Maple. Also like exotics and highly figured for accents.

 

[ScottM]

Soft Maple

 

[JimD]

I've used softwood, poplar, cherry, walnut, oak, and a little bit of exotics. I guess it depends on my mood and what I am making. I wouldn't want to make a particular project just to use a particular wood. I pick the project and use the wood it calls for. I like the look of walnut but don't like the way it sun bleaches and the dust is kind of nasty. I like the smell of pine but not the way it gums up blades. I like cherry but not the price. Oak is cheaper but somewhat prone to splitting and some of it stinks. I see good and bad about all of them.

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

I love figured wood. Cherry is definitely high on my list.

 

[danw]

I love sapele but use maple more, curly and spalted.

 

[SubGuy]

It's like trying to pick a favorite kid. I love QSWO, WO, Curly RO, RO, Hard Maple, Curly Soft Maple, Spalted Maple, Tiger Maple, Sapele, Jatoba, Bocote, Black Cherry, Wild Cherry, Walnut, European Oak, European Beech, Purple Heart, Bloodwood, Mahogany, Black Locust, Cypress, Teak...I forget all the ones I like...
Ones I dislike: Expensive wood (yes it's contradictory to my like pile, but the heart wants what the heart wants), Pine (only sometimes, it's like your crazy uncle, you love him but you only hang out with him when you have to), European Beech (yes I love/hate this one), Black and White Ebony (pretty, but more trouble than it's worth), Butternut (only because how soft it is, maybe I am not skilled enough to enough it), Soft Maple (it's just too plain without the benefit of being as durable as HM), Ninja wood (I made this term up for the unknowns that I find and have to experiment on to get it to what I want it, too much trouble b/c too often there is a reason you got it free, cheap or found it.). There are others....Ohh the time I could spend describing just a few of these and the stories the come with. Cherry alone could take hours.

 

[Berta]

I like cherry, but I am willing to try others!

 

[CrealBilly]

Used to be red oak but now it's hard maple for me

Ted oak lol at least it could have chose Fred oak - anything i can do to disable taptalk type ahead?

 

[Bob Carreiro]

+1 for Soft Maple.

 

[thsb]

i would probably say walnut but really like it in combination with other woods-QSWO, Cherry, and Maple. anything with figure and character is good with me.

I just built my first project with Cherry and I think that the look and workability of the wood was really nice....

 

[NCGrimbo]

Maple is my first choice for projects. After that is Cherry. I do like Purple Heart for accents against the Maple.

-NCGrimbo

 

[Bill Clemmons]

I build traditional American furniture (Shaker, A&C, etc.) so I prefer domestic hardwoods. As for species, it depends on the piece and what works best. If I'm copying an original, then I will try to use what it was made from. If any wood will do for the piece, then what ever I have the most of on hand becomes my favorite.

 

[SSuther]

It's been walnut for me for many years. My grandfather made many pieces with it that I inherited, and I've continued the pattern. It doesn't hurt that I also inherited a substantial stack of air dried walnut. Recently, though, I completed my first project in cherry, and really enjoyed how it worked and finished.

 

[Stuart Kent]

for me it's like saying what s your favorite tool...

My favorite material s the right one for the job. It is not true to period to use paduak for an English reproduction, or sapele for something in the arts and crafts period. I probably use cherry the most for what it's worth.

 

[BWSmith]

It all depends on where we are.........

I'll go out on a limb(ha) and say,give us some really tight grained SYP,and we'll not only build,but can engineer some wood products that'll knock your socks off.

In the shop,same ole,same ole......give us some tight,straight grained Maple...and let us engineer.

You want slackjaw interior design?A little crotchy Walnut thrown in exactly the right places will usually fill the bill.That or some 1/4 sawn Oak.But you have to know what/where to use it.Then too,the colour.....it has to be awe inspiring.Like when a great song writer pairs it up with exactly the right artist.They both sort of feed of each other.