# Favorite Wood Species



## Nature Man (May 8, 2019)

What is your absolute favorite wood species to work with, and why? What have you made with it? Chuck


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## rocky1 (May 8, 2019)

I'm still searching for it!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (May 8, 2019)

FREE

Reactions: Like 4 | Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## woodtickgreg (May 8, 2019)

For me its gotta be walnut. I just love the smell of it and the color, love the way it pops with a rich oil finish.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Bob Ireland (May 8, 2019)

Tough to narrow it down but native wood would be cherry (as I have some in my woods and I can go from tree to finish product without buying anything). I love the smell and how the wood changes color as it ages. I suppose my favorite exotic is quilted Sapele, just because I love the depth of quilting and the color of the wood.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## Eric Rorabaugh (May 8, 2019)

Bob, get to posting. I just posted for the pen blank swap. You need to hit 100 posts.


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## Bob Ireland (May 8, 2019)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Bob, get to posting. I just posted for the pen blank swap. You need to hit 100 posts.


I'm working on it, truly

Reactions: Like 1


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## Smitty (May 9, 2019)

For the same reasons as Greg stated, I like walnut.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## sprucegum (May 9, 2019)

Got to agree with Bob about cherry. Available easy to work with . I have made pepper mills, bowls, our dining room table, several kitchens, and a bunch of other stuff. Walnut a close second but it costs to much and does not grow here.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## JoshfromPA (May 9, 2019)

There is definitely something special about walnut. I thought about this post quite a bit and while I do love working with walnut and cherry, when I think of the wood that has provided the most for me and my family, as well as the vast majority of the country ( if not the world) I definitely have to give mention of the lowly Doug fir.

May not get much mention as far as favorite species to work with in a forum that is based on fine woodworking but should definitely at least get a mention from anyone who makes thier living in construction lol! Certainly the one that I personally have spent the most time with.

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1


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## ironman123 (May 9, 2019)

Wood, wood, wood.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## phinds (May 9, 2019)

cocobolo. I just wish it didn't darken so much with age.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## ripjack13 (May 10, 2019)

Snakewood. It smells yummy. and finishes great. but it's a pita to drill.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Herb G. (May 11, 2019)

Kind of like asking who's your favorite child. I have found that each piece of wood is different, unique, and one of God's masterpieces.

Reactions: Agree 2 | Great Post 1


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## goosefoot33 (May 13, 2019)

Mine has to be Spanish Cedar. Cuts and mills like a dream, smells fantastic, is very durable for exterior projects, and is not as expensive as its cousin, Genuine Mahogany. It's on the softer side, and you can get some bum pieces that have lots of alternating grain and tensionwood, but overall it is a peach of a wood to work with. I've made boxes and tables out of it. A primary use is humidors as well.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## David Hill (May 19, 2019)

Mesquite—hands down. Highly variable color, hard, doesn’t move, even had a nice sweet smell.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Yew70 (Feb 9, 2021)

Yew, just love the variety of colour, bet you wouldn't have guessed that though.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Arn213 (Feb 9, 2021)

Hawaiian Koa because there is nothing like it and it grows were it is lush, it is coveted and respected by it’s island keepers. It mills wonderfully, woodsy-sweet aroma, it has a shimmer/sparkle and deep chatoyance and the color range is wide from yellow, yellow-orange, smoky orange, brown into chocolate realm with purple highlights. It is also an excellent and time tested guitar building wood- if there was more of it commercially available (like Honduran hog), we would probably see more of it.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 3


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## Ed D. (Feb 9, 2021)

My all time favorite would have to be Osage Orange...turns easy, one of the few inexpensive and readily available woods to take ornamental turning details, and very forgiving when it comes to sanding.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Way Cool 3


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 9, 2021)

My favorite wood is "free" wood!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Feb 9, 2021)

I am partial to box elder easy to work yet often colorful. but for smell probably cherry. I tend to like figure in all my wood. Spalt or crotch at the least.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Jonkou (Feb 10, 2021)

Fav is Milo, cuts clean, stable, light weight yet strong, nice contrast with sap, gorgeous to look at.

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1


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## JR Parks (Feb 10, 2021)

Absolutely no way to decide. When I am just about to say ...... another quickly takes its place.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Steve Smith (Feb 22, 2021)

African blackwood has been my favorite for a long time. Wonderful to turn, takes fine detail better than any other wood I've tried. Polishes up and impervious to water damage.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Gonzalodqa (Feb 23, 2021)

I would say mahogany. Easy to work all around and very classy.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## wade (Feb 27, 2021)

How can it be anything else?....Madagascar Rosewood Dalbergia Maritima- Only problem is its going to all be made into Ugly Chinese Furniture. If they don't own it yet, they will soon. No law in the world that can keep the Chinese from wiping this species off the face of the earth. Shame

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | EyeCandy! 2 | Agree 1


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## Steve Smith (Feb 27, 2021)

Considering how quickly MR turns almost to a black color, it's understandable how it could be anything else. I bought a piece years ago. Looks pretty for a short time. I won't bother buying it again.

Reactions: Informative 1 | Useful 1


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## wyowoodwrker (Feb 27, 2021)

My personal favorite is Olive, the color contrast and smell is the best to me.....yeah it has drawbacks. Drying it is not easy but it's worth it in my opinion. Second would be cherry, specifically cherry burl.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## cionow777 (Feb 27, 2021)

Any wood that has chatoyance - such as curly Koa or curly Maple. I know that isn't one so I will pick curly Koa.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## frankp (Apr 8, 2021)

Whatever I am working with that isn't Macassar Ebony. (That stuff is nasty...)

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Barb (Apr 9, 2021)

Burls. Yes I know that it covers all wood but it's just too hard for me to choose. :)

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## GS-76 (Jun 27, 2021)

Myrtlewood !!!!!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 1


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## DLJeffs (Jun 27, 2021)

Those bookmatched pairs in your last photo are beautiful Gary.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Paul Veerkamp (Jun 28, 2021)

Has to be osage. Not the yellow but the green and yellow mixed. Got to love how the 2 colors mix and change the looks.

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1 | EyeCandy! 2


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