Wood - what's your favorite / least favorite

[McRabbet]

Several posters to this thread have raised the issue of reactions to some woods like Walnut and Cocobolo -- indeed, many woods can cause allergic reactions or skin sensitivities in many users. Here is a useful chart from our Link Library that outlines several known problem wood species. Because many of us don't know of our sensitivities until it is too late, I always recommend good dust control and proper personal protection gear (good face mask with replacable filters and eye protection) when working in your shop. With some species like Walnut, wearing nitrile gloves might be a good idea. It's not just about safety, it's also working healthy. I've personally known at least one woodworker who ignored the hazards of Black Walnut dust in his shop and it killed him (lung cancer).

My favorite woods -- domestic hardwoods: Cherry, White Oak and Black Walnut. Exotics: Bubinga and African Mahogany.

 

[Glennbear]

I agree with several others that the best wood is free wood but as far as a specific species I really like longleaf heart pine. Due to it's rarity in a virgin state most can be found as recycled wood which brings us back to the free part :gar-La; I have my wood rack stacked floor to ceiling with recycled pine :wsmile: I agree with NCscroller my least favorite is the BORG whitewood stuff.

 

[pcooper]

The reaction to cocobolo and walnut raised an interesting thing in my mind, I seem to react more to aromatic cedar than anything else. I know that there are things in walnut that can kill other plants if you use the shavings for ground cover, so I'd figure a reaction to it by humans not all that surprising. It sure raises the thought that we need to look at the woods and see how to best protect ourselves in the shop. Good filtration is sure very important. I recently made a cedar chest and while sanding found my mask wasn't sealing very well, I had a 'chest cold' for a week afterward, coughed up all kinds of junk, so the next time I do anything like that I'll be more careful.

 

[Tar Heel]

It's a toss up between cherry and walnut for my favorite. My least favorite is any kind of flat sawn oak...I don't like the bold cathedral grain. I can live with QS oak although it's still not high on my list. Another example of different strokes for different folks.

 

[WoodWrangler]

:thumbs_upFavorites ... Cherry (works beautifully, love aged look), White Oak Quarter Sawn (neat look, easy to work), Maple (does a lot of things good)

:eusa_thin In the middle ... Walnut (easy to work, smells good, but dents easy), Poplar (easy to work, but doesn't stain well), Hickory (strong, but hard on tools)

:cry_smile Dislikes ... Red/White Oak Flat Sawn (don't like appearance, dated)

 

[rbdoby]

My least favorite wood is white pine, too soft, too brittle and if cut the wrong time of year it will gum up everything.

Favorite woods are red or white oak, cherry and southern yellow pine (usually recycled timbers or found at small sawmills).

But let's not forget the free stuff. How can you beat that?

 

[Mike Davis]

My favorites are Maple and Walnut, together or separate they always look good.

Least favorite are any softwoods (except old growth heart pine), poplar, any chipped/reconstituted wood and anything with lacquer on it.

 

[Travis Porter]

Favorites
Mahogany - works, sands and finishes excellently
Cherry - burns while cutting, splinters and tears out bad, splotchy for colored finishes, but love the way it darkens
White oak - a staple. Love QS, and it sands and finishes excellently.

Least favorites
Maple - hard, burns, very splotchy. If I am not coloring it, it is ok, but I am sick of working with it on kitchen cabinets with a dark color.....
Eastern Red cedar - too many knots. I use it some on drawer sides and stuff for the smell more than anything.

Just ok
Purple heart - love the color, but hate the splinters. Always picking little splinters out.
Cypress - easy to work and machine, but it tears and chips out bad for me.
Red Oak - Use it a lot, but it is hard and tough to sand. Finishes well.
hickory - way hard and way tough. Only used it on a small project once.


I have never used walnut, alder, beech, sycamore, and a slew of other local woods for the reason I really haven't had a good opportunity to get my hands on it when I have had the space for more wood. I do have some 8/4 walnut that I plan to build a rocking chair out of, I just have to finish the maple kitchen cabinets first!

 

[Shamrock]

For me so far I like sapele-it smells incredible-my wife thinks I'm a little weird because whenever I walk by a new piece I've cut or surfaced I bend down and take a long whiff. Ambrosia to me!
I also like walnut (although I've only worked with a small amount so far)

I have not tried a wood I didn't like, although some quatersawn red oak tried to get on my bad side this weekend by breaking three screws and three drill bits.


:BangHead::BangHead::BangHead:clamps-clamps-why do I never have enough clamps

 

[TracyP]

Oops, in my earlier reply I forgot to list ash as a favorite wood. I used it to build a couple of tables and loved working with it. It is incredibly hard but works well and is easy on the tools.

 

[BillPappas]

I like Mahogany the best, easy to work and finishes great.

Second is Bubinga and it is second because it is so heavy!

Third is Cherry or maybe Maple..the heck with it, I like them all.:eusa_danc:eusa_danc

Regards,

Bill

 

[cskipper]

Howe many of you have seen or workied with quarter-sawn sycamore (my personal favorite)?

 

[Jeff]

I don't have a lot of experience with woodworking so my species exposure is limited. I've done some flat-sawn RO and WO and a little poplar/DF. I'm about to start a project which will use some cherry (a first for me). I've considered some butternut also.

Just completed a couple of folding high-rise deck/bar chairs from cypress. I'm gonna leave them unfinished and see how they weather out in VA Beach. The cypress is really nice to work with and it won't break the bank either.

Just saw Jeff's post re Touchstone Sycamore Rocker. That's some nice wood and expert craftsmanship. I think it was QS. What's it like to work with it? Machinability, etc. :dontknow:

 

[Touchwood]

I'll have to get back to you on that one in a few years. So far, I've used red oak, ash, poplar, cherry and pine. And I like all of them. Next species I'll be using are beech, purple heart, maple and sycamore, and in the fall white oak, cypress and walnut (once all the stuff is dry...). My guess is I'll like all of those too!

BTW, sounds like you've sawn a LOT of walnut in your life :rolf: Certainly explains a few things....

Bas,

If you're doing much with Purpleheart I suggest you become really good friends with a sharpening service.:gar-La; Per Jeff's comments about wood toxicity, here's a handy reference

http://www.mimf.com/archives/toxic.htm

Don

 

[Hook]

My favorites wood have to be Maple, Cherry and Black Walnut (In that order). I like working with Cocobolo, especially for turning, and so far, no reactions to it. I've been lucky enough to work a LITTLE bit with some mahogany for guitar sides/back/blocks but I haven't really formed an opinion on it yet.

I like playing with different varieties of exotics every now and then, but they can be frustrating depending on difficulty and density. I've done a lot of turning with purpleheart and I hope to finish the grandfather clock I started using it.

My least favorite is probably red oak. I'm just not a fan.

 

[SkintKnuckle]

Favorites are cherry, mahogany and maple, in that order.

OK are the oaks, red and white.

Least favorite, Cottonwood! if anyone has ever sawn it, they'll know why, it ABSOLUTELY has the worst smell of any wood I've come across! I also used some zebrawood for accent in a table top, it splits and tears so easily that I don't think I'd want to use it again.

 

[cskipper]

II think it was QS. What's it like to work with it? Machinability, etc. :dontknow:

It scrolls beautifully. I don't remember LOML having any problems with it when making the coffee and end tables.

 

[LeftyTom]

My favorite wood is FREE wood.
Dave

Dave, you beat me to it! :eusa_naug

My least favorite is that species, Dave may know its name, that no matter how you cut it, it is always too short. :tongue2:

 

[Douglas Robinson]

My favorite right now is cherry. My lest favorite is Marado, because I am very allergic to it. I am in Germany right now and I brought my watch, which I haven't worn since May 10 or there abouts, as that is when I had my encounter.

I cleaned the watch, but I guess not welll enough. I had a little (thankfully little) outbreak on my wrist, so the ghost of the Marado strikes again!

Man I could live without seeing that stuff ever again!

Doug

 

[Jeff]

Contact dermatitis and respiratory problems have been encountered with many of the wood species that we often use (see the "coolflooring" link below for a pretty comprehensive listing) and also take for granted. Some individuals become sensitized over time and suddenly the next exposure results in an allergic reaction without warning. :eusa_naug


http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Allergic_Reactions_to_Wood.html

http://www.coolflooring.com/TechInfo/safety.aspx