Originally posted by Dario
Curly wood can be tricky.
Originally posted by chigdon
I also agree that it would be easier to say what to stay away from.
Originally posted by les-smith
<br />Lots of great replies. Thanks everyone. My problem and maybe some what of a gloat is taht I've got more orders for pens and pen sets for Christmas than I think I can get done.[] I'm thinking of buying pens from someone else and selling them here at work. I don't do to bad turning pens, but I think I might do better selling them. I'm still new at this, but these folks at work have loved what I've done. I'm just trying to make pens with out having to redo things. I asked about beginner woods so that maybe ya'll could direct me to some wood that would allow me to turn out pens quicker. I love the dymondwood, all these pens have turned out great. Ebony has turned out great for me also. The acrylics are selling the minute I get them through the door at work. Anyways, great suggestions everyone. No time to talk I've got to turn pens.[]
Originally posted by keithz
<br />I've been turning all of three weeks, so I have all kinds of experience. [][]
Of course, I'm joking. Actually, I have found that anything I like to turn for other products besides pens, works with pens. So far, I have turned pens from walnut, koa, locust burl, spalted maple, ambrosia maple, purpleheart, bethlehem olivewood, african blackwood, and amboyna burl. By far, the most difficult woods were blackwood and amboyna burl.
All in all, I don't think it really matters what kind of wood you turn. Each has it's characteristics and it's requirements. I 'd just turn whatever wood you have or want to turn.
keithz
Originally posted by GBusardo
<br />For me, nothing turns easier than bloodwood.
Interesting comment about African Blackwood. I like turning it because it works so nicely. Granted, it is hard. But, I class turning woods into several categories. Some are simply 'hard-hardwoods'. Others are 'difficult to turn', these may be soft and stringy, prone to blow-out or just troublesome. ABW, to me, is a hard-hardwood that turns nicely.