Top 10 - PRETTIEST WOOD (Re-Tally on 2/13/2006))

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Status
Not open for further replies.

1080Wayne

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2006
Messages
3,340
Location
Brownfield, Alberta, Canada.
Billy B , Fairborn OH Not surprised you haven`t run across these woods . Caragana is native to N China-Mongolia-Siberia. It has been fairly widely planted across the US-Cdn prairie region for the last 70 or so years , as a farmstead/field shelterbelt shrub , because of it`s drought tolerance . Grows to about 18 ft high . A soft weak wood , difficult to find a piece to give a turning of over 2.25 in dia because of heartwood decay . HOWEVER - To find the others you may have to look outside your window. Pincherry (also called fire cherry or bird cherry) and chokecherry are black cherry cousins. Pincherry`s range is roughly from WV up the seaboard to lat 50, heading W up to lat 60 in the Yukon, down the Rockies to S AB and back across to WV. Small tree up to 25 ft, light, weak wood,up to 3 in or so turned dia . Chokecherry`s range is more southerly, from NC up to S Que and Ont, climbing to lat 50 as it crosses the Rockies, down to Northern Mexico, and back to NC. Small tree up to 30 ft, heavy, hard wood, up to 4 in turned dia . Saskatoon (also called serviceberry or shadbush) covers all of N America with three species, ranging from 15 ft in the West to 50 ft high in the East. Heavy, hard wood up to 3 in turned dia in the West to >12 in the East . Red osier dogwood grows pretty well everywhere between lat 35-55. Shrub up to 9 ft high , soft wood,1 in dia max. Boxelder (also called Manitoba maple or ashleaf maple) ranges from E TX through FL, up to MA, across the lakes to central AB, down through MT and KS. Grows to 60 ft high, 3 ft dia. Weak, light, soft wood, with great red colour when infected with fusarium fungus. I tend to be partial to native woods. Look for the beauty closer to home and save a bit of the tropical forest to see when on vacation. Wayne
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

PenWorks

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2004
Messages
5,186
Location
Scottsdale, AZ
1. Snakewood
2. Cocobollo
3. Buckeye Burl
4. Amboyna
5. Afzalia Burl w/eyes
6. BOW
7. Spalted Tamerind
8. Spotted Yellow Birch
9. Red Melle
10 Madagascar Rosewood
 

Rifleman1776

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2004
Messages
7,330
Location
Mountain Home, Arkansas, USA.
That's like saying which of your children or grand children you love the most. Can't be done. Pretty wood is in the eye of the beholder. For me it is too subjective, I like the burls as much as other people do. But, hands down, over the long haul, plain walnut, to me, is the King of woods. And maple, plain or figured is the Queen. Others I like:
ambonya
olive
big leaf maple burl
cocobolo
anything spalted and ugly (why do we love ugly?)
After that, most anything that isn't acrylic. [:0][:p][:)]
 

Daniel

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2004
Messages
5,921
Location
Reno, NV, USA.
So far my list is
1. Cocobolo
2. Amboyna Burl
3. Mia Pragoo
4. Bois De Rose
5. Pau Rosa
6. Olivewood
7. Oak Burl
8. African Blackwood
9. Bloodwood
10. Figured maple
 

KC0TLV

Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2006
Messages
1
Location
Sioux Falls, SD, USA.
I'd have to say, in order of most to least favorite, they are:

1: Amboyna burl
2: Nicaraguan Cocobolo
3: Tamboti
4: Lignum Vitae
5: Venezuelan Fiddleback Blackwood
6: Birds Eye Maple

Snakewood had been near the top of this list, but after enough problems with it during and after turning, I replaced it on my list of favorite woods with Amboyna burl.

David
Cougar Mountain WoodCraft
http://www.cougarmountainwoodcraft.com <under construction at this time>
 

BigRob777

Member
Joined
May 1, 2005
Messages
2,717
Location
Newark, Delaware, USA.
OK, you did say "used", so that cuts out amboyna burl for me. Here goes:
1. Red Mallee Burl ties with Curly Koa
2. Manzanita Burl
3. Lignum Vitae (Argentinian) (best smelling too)
4. Curly Maple
5. Pomelle Bubinga
6. Spalted Oak
7. Pink Ivory
8. Tulipwood
9. Desert Ironwood
10. Yellow Cedar Burl

I know, I cheated and put in 11, with the tie, but I could go on forever. My favorite "plain wood", that is without curl, or burling, is Lignum Vitae, because of the chattoyance and the way the "fingers" of the grain alternate directions in each row (growth ring). The stuff turns like butter (alright, maybe frozen butter) too and the smell is incredible.

200751513498_DSCN1777-3.jpg
<br /> It has long been my favorite, but you just can't beat a really nice deep tight curl or burl (in my opinion). I think that Kingwood would be next in line, and in fact, it probably outweighs yellow cedar burl, except that YCB is so cool and has a very interesting smell.

Rob
 

bobskio2003

Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2005
Messages
344
Location
Fulton, NY, USA.
I have to agree with many that this is tough but here are my top 18:
Pommele Sapele
Spalted Cinnamon
Afzelia xylay
SE Asian Golden Camphor Burl
Mun Ebony
Spalted Hackberry
Curly Jarrah
Curly Kiaat
Curly Koa
Mango
Blue Mahoe
Curly Massaranduba
Live Oak
Darl Lacy Sheoak
Queenwood
Braz. Tulipwood
Woody Pear
Curly Walnut

Now that I look at it, I guess I really am a little twisted[:p] Bob I.
 
Joined
Sep 24, 2006
Messages
8,206
Location
Tellico Plains, Tennessee, USA.
I don't know if I have 10 or more, and have not had the pleasure of some of the woods you guys use... I see some breathtaking woods on here...
my list
Buckeye burl
Any of the dyed box-elders
Bethlehem Olive wood
Osage Orange
Bloodwood
Paduak
Spalted Maple
Black & White Ebony
Snakewood
Tulipwood
Pink Ivory &gt; but haven't had much luck with getting this one turned.. blown out a bunch though..
Dymondwoods... the ladies like the colors on these pens.

I'm sure there are others, but can't think of more right now.
 

Alexander

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2007
Messages
125
Location
Hendersonville, TN, USA.
Wow, it is a tough one, but if I have to stick to the ones I have used personally here is my list;
1. Amboyna (burl)
2. BEB
3. Cocobola
4. Afzelia (xylay/burl)
5. Asian Ebony
6. Olive Wood
7. Quilted Maple
8. Spalted Hackberry
9. Maple Burl
10. Cedar Crotch Wood
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom