There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
discuss, etc. at great length :)
What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
___________
MY THOUGHTS
A lot of you seem to favor cherry but it leaves me cold. Nothing wrong with
it, just doesn't grab me.
Neither does maple except for curly or birdseye.
Oak - white oak - is one of my favorites...hard, strong, works easily but I
would never call it pretty. Not even with a flake figure.
Hickory is nice, rather like it.
Birch isn't in the running, neither is beech.
Walnut is a different story...works nicely, nice color, interesting grain
but not much figure. It would be my nomination for domestic wood.
_____________
I haven't used a lot of imports...mahogany, khaya, makore, utile, nogal,
Phillipine mahogany, maybe 2-3 more.
Nogal (Peruvian walnut) isn't as attractive as black walnut and is softer
but it can be very dark, almost black. Handy sometimes.
I wouldn't characterize either makore or utile - especially utile - as very
attractive but they aren't bad looking.
I think Phillipine mahogany is way under rated. Some of them are very nice.
Even rotary cut luan ply is useful...very plain grain which I prefer in
large expanses to things like Brazilian rosewood. Not too many years ago
there were acres and acres of Brazilian rosewood ply covering lobbies, board
rooms, elevators and meeting rooms. Used to make my head spin.
Both mahogany and khaya are nice, among my favorites (sapele too) but my
pick for prettiest wood is koa.
Wonderful and varied color, looks like mahogany on steroids. Used to be that
it was easy to get highly figured boards too but nowadays they are all
picked over by large shops before the boards ever see the light of retail
day. Biggest problem with koa is the price...now $45+- per board foot. I
used to get it for $0.50 <sigh> when walnut and teak were in the $1.25 -
1.35 range.
--
dadiOH
____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
On Aug 17, 7:29=A0am, Sonny <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I haven't seen any claro walnut in local wood yards. What's so special
> > about it as opposed to black walnut? =A0Juglans hindsii and nigra look
> > awfully similar in these pics. =A0Same shade, similar figure.
>
> This might help. Page down to Claro Walnut:http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/=
personal/woodpics/indextotal.htm#letterC
>
> Sonny
Click onto the pic for more pics
Sonny
On Aug 16, 2:12=A0pm, "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote:
> There have been several =A0L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought =
I'd
> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
> discuss, etc. at great length =A0:)
>
> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
> ___________
>
> MY THOUGHTS
>
> A lot of you seem to favor cherry but it leaves me cold. =A0Nothing wrong=
with
> it, just doesn't grab me.
>
> Neither does maple except for curly or birdseye.
>
> Oak - white oak - is one of my favorites...hard, strong, works easily but=
I
> would never call it pretty. =A0Not even with a flake figure.
>
> Hickory is nice, rather like it.
>
> Birch isn't in the running, neither is beech.
>
> Walnut is a different story...works nicely, nice color, interesting grain
> but not much figure. =A0It would be my nomination for domestic wood.
> _____________
>
> I haven't used a lot of imports...mahogany, khaya, makore, utile, nogal,
> Phillipine mahogany, maybe 2-3 more.
>
> Nogal (Peruvian walnut) isn't as attractive as black walnut and is softer
> but it can be very dark, almost black. =A0Handy sometimes.
>
> I wouldn't characterize either makore or utile - especially utile - as ve=
ry
> attractive but they aren't bad looking.
>
> I think Phillipine mahogany is way under rated. =A0Some of them are very =
nice.
> Even rotary cut luan ply is useful...very plain grain which I prefer in
> large expanses to things like Brazilian rosewood. =A0Not too many years a=
go
> there were acres and acres of Brazilian rosewood ply covering lobbies, bo=
ard
> rooms, elevators and meeting rooms. =A0Used to make my head spin.
>
> Both mahogany and khaya are nice, among my favorites (sapele too) but my
> pick for prettiest wood is koa.
>
> Wonderful and varied color, looks like mahogany on steroids. Used to be t=
hat
> it was easy to get highly figured boards too but nowadays they are all
> picked over by large shops before the boards ever see the light of retail
> day. =A0Biggest problem with koa is the price...now $45+- per board foot.=
=A0I
> used to get it for $0.50 <sigh> when walnut and teak were in the $1.25 -
> 1.35 range.
>
> --
>
> dadiOH
> ____________________________
>
> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
> Get it athttp://mysite.verizon.net/xico
If there had to be just one? Cherry.
I like Purple Heart and Padouk.
But the most incredible wood I have ever seen was the back of a 1957
Gibson where the birds eye maple looked like pearls floating in liquid
diamonds. I will never forget that.
On Aug 16, 2:12=A0pm, "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
Figured North American maple, dyed with Transtint, your
choice of color. Looks like marble more than wood.
On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:12:49 -0400, "dadiOH" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
>start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
>discuss, etc. at great length :)
>
>What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
Cocobolo is one of my favorites.
http://www.advantagelumber.com/cocobolo.htm
--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
On 2011-08-16 14:12:49 -0400, "dadiOH" <[email protected]> said:
> Walnut is a different story...works nicely, nice color, interesting
> grain but not much figure. It would be my nomination for domestic wood.
Personally, walnut is my favorite, too.
Except when I'm working with Cherry. Then that's my favorite.
Except when I'm working with Maple. Then that's my favorite.
Except when I'm working with Oak. Then that's, oh, wait a minute! I
really don't care much for Oak.
Seriously, I do love walnut. (http://tinyurl.com/4ygdgy2) And cherry,
and maple...
>
> I haven't seen any claro walnut in local wood yards. What's so special
> about it as opposed to black walnut? =A0Juglans hindsii and nigra look
> awfully similar in these pics. =A0Same shade, similar figure.
>
This might help. Page down to Claro Walnut:
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/indextotal.htm#letterC
Sonny
Larry Jaques wrote:
> On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:11:06 -0400, Gerald Ross<[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>dadiOH wrote:
>>> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
>>> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
>>> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>>>
>>> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
>>> ___________
>>snip
>>
>>Heart sweetgum (domestic) is hard to beat and easy to turn.
>
> If you have insurance and want to take it. I have a large sweetgum in
> my Grants Pass, OR front yard and would like it removed. Free to
> insured party. Must take all. (Roots, too!) Want the maple and the
> redwood and a doug fir, too? Take 'em!
>
Thanks! But I get all that I can use from the local tree cutters.
Either cut to length and loaded on my truck or delivered next to my shop.
--
Gerald Ross
If the shoe fits, put it in your mouth.
On Aug 16, 2:01=A0pm, Nova <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:12:49 -0400, "dadiOH" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >There have been several =A0L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought=
I'd
> >start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant=
,
> >discuss, etc. at great length =A0:)
>
> >What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
>
> Cocobolo is one of my favorites.
>
> http://www.advantagelumber.com/cocobolo.htm
> --
> Jack Novak
> Buffalo, NY - USA
I'm with Nova on this one. Although I saw a lot of other drool-worthy
woods in my Central American travels.
Luigi
On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>
> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
> ___________
>
> MY THOUGHTS
For domestic, USA, Mesquite, wish I could afford the big pieces.
Followed by Walnut, White Oak.
Favorite import,
Zircote,
http://www.rosewoodarchery.com/images/200zircote.jpg
Bocote,
http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/bocote/
Wenge
http://www.pawbrandflooring.com/AfricanWenge-open-grain.asp
Zebra,
http://www.nitsugamangore.com/zebrawood-cedar-guitar.html
On 8/31/2011 11:18 AM, Tom B wrote:
> <snip>
> About 25 years ago I built a cocobolo and padauk coffee table. A couple
> of years ago I dismantled it and resurface the top. The link is to the
> freshly drum sanded top.
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb11211/6057623438/in/photostream
>
> Oooh, pretty, pretty!
>
Thank you.
On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>
> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
> ___________
>
>
> Both mahogany and khaya are nice, among my favorites (sapele too) but my
> pick for prettiest wood is koa.
>
> Wonderful and varied color, looks like mahogany on steroids. Used to be that
> it was easy to get highly figured boards too but nowadays they are all
> picked over by large shops before the boards ever see the light of retail
> day. Biggest problem with koa is the price...now $45+- per board foot. I
> used to get it for $0.50<sigh> when walnut and teak were in the $1.25 -
> 1.35 range.
>
>
>
I have no idea what sort of wood Tamarack is and to be honest I really
don't care. It is the favorite firewood of most around here, kind of a
shame. I got over a thousand board feet of it from a nearby sawmill
for fifty cents a board foot. It's not easy to work with but the
finished product is worth the trouble.
This is a Murphy bed finished in clear urethane
http://www.mts.net/~lmlod/Murphy1.jpg
http://www.mts.net/~lmlod/Murphy2.jpg
Cupboards stained and clear urethane
http://www.mts.net/~lmlod/cupboards3.jpg
I used the Tamarack for wainscoting throughout the house. It's
finished like the Murphy bed.
LdB
On 8/16/2011 4:16 PM, Steve Turner wrote:
> On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
>> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
>> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
>> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>>
>> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
>
> My favorite wood (regardless of imported vs. domestic) is Mesquite.
> Beautiful color, beautiful figure, strong, stable, hard (but not too
> hard), and a joy to work with tools, both hand and power. The only
> downside (IMO) is that the trees are so scraggly it's hard to find good
> clear lumber in usable sizes at a decent price.
>
My grandmother, aunts and uncles lived about 50 miles south of San
Antonio back when I was a kid. The highway between SA and Charlotte Tx
was littered with huge Mesquite trees. I remember the trunks being 2-3
feet in diameter and 20-25 feet tall. My uncle raised cattle and
obviously had a lot of pasture covered with mesquite trees. We would
cut them down and use the limbs for fire wood and or to BBQ. I have a
chunk of Mesquite that is about 18" long x3x3 that I salvaged out of one
of the limbs, 25-30 years ago. Still waiting for the perfect
project.... Maybe I'll cut it into veneers.
I guess I should mention my etimoe veneer is highly figured like this.
http://tinyurl.com/3qnksaf
On 8/20/2011 8:30 AM, tiredofspam wrote:
> I have some veneer Etimoe, I have been waiting for the right project.
> That dash must be beautiful. It is so wild, and tame at the same time.
> I love the chatoyance .... AWESOME.... I was trying to think what my
> favorite would be, when you reminded me how much I am enamored of this
> grain.
>
> On 8/16/2011 6:49 PM, "<<<__ Bøb __>>>" wrote:
>>
>> If we're allowed to get a little crazy here ... I built a dash for an AC
>> Cobra, and used Etimoe ... it looks GREAT !!!
>>
I have some veneer Etimoe, I have been waiting for the right project.
That dash must be beautiful. It is so wild, and tame at the same time.
I love the chatoyance .... AWESOME.... I was trying to think what my
favorite would be, when you reminded me how much I am enamored of this
grain.
On 8/16/2011 6:49 PM, "<<<__ Bøb __>>>" wrote:
>
> If we're allowed to get a little crazy here ... I built a dash for an AC
> Cobra, and used Etimoe ... it looks GREAT !!!
>
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...
>
> On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
> > There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
> > start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
> > discuss, etc. at great length :)
> >
> > What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
>
> My favorite wood (regardless of imported vs. domestic) is Mesquite. Beautiful
> color, beautiful figure, strong, stable, hard (but not too hard), and a joy to
> work with tools, both hand and power. The only downside (IMO) is that the
> trees are so scraggly it's hard to find good clear lumber in usable sizes at a
> decent price.
I agree. Argentinian black mesquite is wonderful and it grows as a big
tree down there so lumber in substantial sizes is available. Or was
until the regulators decided to pull the plug on the trade.
"dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>
> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
> ___________
>
> MY THOUGHTS
>
> A lot of you seem to favor cherry but it leaves me cold. Nothing wrong
> with it, just doesn't grab me.
>
> Neither does maple except for curly or birdseye.
>
> Oak - white oak - is one of my favorites...hard, strong, works easily but
> I would never call it pretty. Not even with a flake figure.
>
> Hickory is nice, rather like it.
>
> Birch isn't in the running, neither is beech.
>
> Walnut is a different story...works nicely, nice color, interesting grain
> but not much figure. It would be my nomination for domestic wood.
> _____________
>
> I haven't used a lot of imports...mahogany, khaya, makore, utile, nogal,
> Phillipine mahogany, maybe 2-3 more.
>
> Nogal (Peruvian walnut) isn't as attractive as black walnut and is softer
> but it can be very dark, almost black. Handy sometimes.
>
> I wouldn't characterize either makore or utile - especially utile - as
> very attractive but they aren't bad looking.
>
> I think Phillipine mahogany is way under rated. Some of them are very
> nice. Even rotary cut luan ply is useful...very plain grain which I prefer
> in large expanses to things like Brazilian rosewood. Not too many years
> ago there were acres and acres of Brazilian rosewood ply covering lobbies,
> board rooms, elevators and meeting rooms. Used to make my head spin.
>
> Both mahogany and khaya are nice, among my favorites (sapele too) but my
> pick for prettiest wood is koa.
>
> Wonderful and varied color, looks like mahogany on steroids. Used to be
> that it was easy to get highly figured boards too but nowadays they are
> all picked over by large shops before the boards ever see the light of
> retail day. Biggest problem with koa is the price...now $45+- per board
> foot. I used to get it for $0.50 <sigh> when walnut and teak were in the
> $1.25 - 1.35 range.
>
>
>
> --
>
> dadiOH
> ____________________________
>
> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
>
>
>I like Poplar. Stains nice. Easy to work. WW
On Wed, 17 Aug 2011 05:29:24 -0700 (PDT), Sonny <[email protected]>
wrote:
>>
>> I haven't seen any claro walnut in local wood yards. What's so special
>> about it as opposed to black walnut? Juglans hindsii and nigra look
>> awfully similar in these pics. Same shade, similar figure.
>>
>
>
>This might help. Page down to Claro Walnut:
>http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/indextotal.htm#letterC
Cool site!
--
...in order that a man may be happy, it is
necessary that he should not only be capable
of his work, but a good judge of his work.
-- John Ruskin
On Aug 18, 10:27=A0am, Larry Jaques <[email protected]>
wrote:
> On Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:22:20 -0700 (PDT), Father Haskell
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >On Aug 16, 4:31=A0pm, Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:
> >> On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
>
> >> Zebra,
>
> >>http://www.nitsugamangore.com/zebrawood-cedar-guitar.html
>
> >Wood porn!
>
> I must not be as much of a zebrawood fan as you are.
I'm generally not, but I've never seen it with curly grain.
> >Here's some more:
> >http://www.alembic.com/info/fcvault.html
>
> WTF,O?http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_brutallegend.html
Masterpiece, a bit different from their usual cocobolo "hippie
sandwich" lamination.
On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:11:06 -0400, Gerald Ross <[email protected]>
wrote:
>dadiOH wrote:
>> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
>> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
>> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>>
>> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
>> ___________
>snip
>
>Heart sweetgum (domestic) is hard to beat and easy to turn.
If you have insurance and want to take it. I have a large sweetgum in
my Grants Pass, OR front yard and would like it removed. Free to
insured party. Must take all. (Roots, too!) Want the maple and the
redwood and a doug fir, too? Take 'em!
--
...in order that a man may be happy, it is
necessary that he should not only be capable
of his work, but a good judge of his work.
-- John Ruskin
On 8/18/2011 10:02 AM, Luigi Zanasi wrote:
> On Aug 16, 2:01 pm, Nova<[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:12:49 -0400, "dadiOH"<[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
>>> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
>>> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>>
>>> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
>>
>> Cocobolo is one of my favorites.
>>
>> http://www.advantagelumber.com/cocobolo.htm
>> --
>> Jack Novak
>> Buffalo, NY - USA
>
> I'm with Nova on this one. Although I saw a lot of other drool-worthy
> woods in my Central American travels.
>
> Luigi
About 25 years ago I built a cocobolo and padauk coffee table. A couple
of years ago I dismantled it and resurface the top. The link is to the
freshly drum sanded top.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb11211/6057623438/in/photostream
On Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:22:20 -0700 (PDT), Father Haskell
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Aug 16, 4:31 pm, Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:
>> On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
>>
>> Zebra,
>>
>> http://www.nitsugamangore.com/zebrawood-cedar-guitar.html
>
>Wood porn!
I must not be as much of a zebrawood fan as you are.
>Here's some more:
>http://www.alembic.com/info/fcvault.html
WTF,O?
http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_brutallegend.html
--
...in order that a man may be happy, it is
necessary that he should not only be capable
of his work, but a good judge of his work.
-- John Ruskin
On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>
> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
My favorite wood (regardless of imported vs. domestic) is Mesquite. Beautiful
color, beautiful figure, strong, stable, hard (but not too hard), and a joy to
work with tools, both hand and power. The only downside (IMO) is that the
trees are so scraggly it's hard to find good clear lumber in usable sizes at a
decent price.
--
Free bad advice available here.
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/
In article <[email protected]>, "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote:
>There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
>start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
>discuss, etc. at great length :)
>
>What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
I don't think I could narrow it down to just one... for domestic woods, my top
favorites, in no particular order, are curly cherry, curly maple, quartersawn
sycamore, and quartersawn beech.
I've not used enough imported woods to have much of an opinion there, but I
sure do like the look of true mahogany.
On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>
> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
...
I think I have to make the choice dependent on the use--some just are
"the cat's meow" for one item but totally wrong for another...
To the question as asked as to "pretty", I'd probably have to go to the
rosewoods as most striking w/ the Honduran mahogany as the ideal cabinet
wood for the non-domestics.
For US domestics, that's a little more difficult altho it's hard to beat
butternut on one hand but old salvage chestnut is another outstanding
choice...the other of my favorites would be the Claro walnut followed by
black walnut...
In it's place, white oak is so striking...there, we're back to what the
use is matters...
Like someone else already said, don't think I can have just one...
--
dadiOH wrote:
> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>
> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
> ___________
>
> MY THOUGHTS
>
> A lot of you seem to favor cherry but it leaves me cold. Nothing wrong with
> it, just doesn't grab me.
>
> Neither does maple except for curly or birdseye.
>
> Oak - white oak - is one of my favorites...hard, strong, works easily but I
> would never call it pretty. Not even with a flake figure.
>
> Hickory is nice, rather like it.
>
> Birch isn't in the running, neither is beech.
>
> Walnut is a different story...works nicely, nice color, interesting grain
> but not much figure. It would be my nomination for domestic wood.
> _____________
>
> I haven't used a lot of imports...mahogany, khaya, makore, utile, nogal,
> Phillipine mahogany, maybe 2-3 more.
>
> Nogal (Peruvian walnut) isn't as attractive as black walnut and is softer
> but it can be very dark, almost black. Handy sometimes.
>
> I wouldn't characterize either makore or utile - especially utile - as very
> attractive but they aren't bad looking.
>
> I think Phillipine mahogany is way under rated. Some of them are very nice.
> Even rotary cut luan ply is useful...very plain grain which I prefer in
> large expanses to things like Brazilian rosewood. Not too many years ago
> there were acres and acres of Brazilian rosewood ply covering lobbies, board
> rooms, elevators and meeting rooms. Used to make my head spin.
>
> Both mahogany and khaya are nice, among my favorites (sapele too) but my
> pick for prettiest wood is koa.
>
> Wonderful and varied color, looks like mahogany on steroids. Used to be that
> it was easy to get highly figured boards too but nowadays they are all
> picked over by large shops before the boards ever see the light of retail
> day. Biggest problem with koa is the price...now $45+- per board foot. I
> used to get it for $0.50 <sigh> when walnut and teak were in the $1.25 -
> 1.35 range.
>
>
>
For turning I find it hard to beat California Manzanita, outstanding
colors and grain, not very large in size.
On 8/16/2011 4:38 PM, Swingman wrote:
> On 8/16/2011 4:16 PM, Steve Turner wrote:
>
>> My favorite wood (regardless of imported vs. domestic) is Mesquite.
>> Beautiful color, beautiful figure, strong, stable, hard (but not too
>> hard), and a joy to work with tools, both hand and power. The only
>> downside (IMO) is that the trees are so scraggly it's hard to find good
>> clear lumber in usable sizes at a decent price.
>
> ... and you can't beat the scraps for cooking a steak.
And there's that too!
--
"Our beer goes through thousands of quality Czechs every day."
(From a Shiner Bock billboard I saw in Austin some years ago)
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/
On 8/16/2011 7:22 PM, Leon wrote:
> On 8/16/2011 4:16 PM, Steve Turner wrote:
>> On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
>>> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
>>> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
>>> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>>>
>>> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
>>
>> My favorite wood (regardless of imported vs. domestic) is Mesquite.
>> Beautiful color, beautiful figure, strong, stable, hard (but not too
>> hard), and a joy to work with tools, both hand and power. The only
>> downside (IMO) is that the trees are so scraggly it's hard to find good
>> clear lumber in usable sizes at a decent price.
>>
>
> My grandmother, aunts and uncles lived about 50 miles south of San Antonio back
> when I was a kid. The highway between SA and Charlotte Tx was littered with
> huge Mesquite trees. I remember the trunks being 2-3 feet in diameter and 20-25
> feet tall. My uncle raised cattle and obviously had a lot of pasture covered
> with mesquite trees. We would cut them down and use the limbs for fire wood and
> or to BBQ. I have a chunk of Mesquite that is about 18" long x3x3 that I
> salvaged out of one of the limbs, 25-30 years ago. Still waiting for the
> perfect project.... Maybe I'll cut it into veneers.
I know the feeling. I have some pieces that have been lying around here for
probably 10 years that I'm still trying to figure how to best use them. Sounds
like veneers would be a good choice for yours. Fire up the Laguna!
--
Free bad advice available here.
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/
On 8/16/2011 10:39 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
...
> I haven't seen any claro walnut in local wood yards. What's so special
> about it as opposed to black walnut? Juglans hindsii and nigra look
> awfully similar in these pics. Same shade, similar figure.
...
In pictures, often does look almost indistinguishable...in hand, not so
much.
"Claro" is fairly recent moniker; the CA genus that is not a hybrid w/
eastern black is generally somewhat lighter and has a clarity of grain
that is just, somehow, different altho I don't know any way to verbalize
it--you just have to see it in person to appreciate the difference I think.
Note there's nothing at all "wrong" w/ Eastern black walnut nor any
intent to imply same; they're just subtly different.
--
On 8/17/2011 10:07 AM, LdB wrote:
> On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
>> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
>> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
>> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>>
>> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
>> ___________
>>
>>
>> Both mahogany and khaya are nice, among my favorites (sapele too) but my
>> pick for prettiest wood is koa.
>>
>> Wonderful and varied color, looks like mahogany on steroids. Used to
>> be that
>> it was easy to get highly figured boards too but nowadays they are all
>> picked over by large shops before the boards ever see the light of retail
>> day. Biggest problem with koa is the price...now $45+- per board foot. I
>> used to get it for $0.50<sigh> when walnut and teak were in the $1.25 -
>> 1.35 range.
>>
>>
>>
>
> I have no idea what sort of wood Tamarack is and to be honest I really
> don't care. It is the favorite firewood of most around here, kind of a
> shame. I got over a thousand board feet of it from a nearby sawmill for
> fifty cents a board foot. It's not easy to work with but the finished
> product is worth the trouble.
>
> This is a Murphy bed finished in clear urethane
>
> http://www.mts.net/~lmlod/Murphy1.jpg
>
> http://www.mts.net/~lmlod/Murphy2.jpg
>
>
> Cupboards stained and clear urethane
>
> http://www.mts.net/~lmlod/cupboards3.jpg
>
> I used the Tamarack for wainscoting throughout the house. It's finished
> like the Murphy bed.
>
> LdB
>
it's a larch. looks a lot like hickory though
Leon wrote:
> About 25 years ago I built a cocobolo and padauk coffee table. A
> couple of years ago I dismantled it and resurface the top. The link
> is to the freshly drum sanded top.
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb11211/6057623438/in/photostream
Gotta love those drum sanders :)
--
dadiOH
____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
On 8/17/2011 7:29 AM, Sonny wrote:
>>
>> I haven't seen any claro walnut in local wood yards. What's so special
>> about it as opposed to black walnut? Juglans hindsii and nigra look
>> awfully similar in these pics. Same shade, similar figure.
>>
>
>
> This might help. Page down to Claro Walnut:
> http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/indextotal.htm#letterC
>
> Sonny
Page down to Walnut, Claro
On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:35:32 -0400, Steve
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On 2011-08-16 14:12:49 -0400, "dadiOH" <[email protected]> said:
>
>> Walnut is a different story...works nicely, nice color, interesting
>> grain but not much figure. It would be my nomination for domestic wood.
>
>Personally, walnut is my favorite, too.
>
>Except when I'm working with Cherry. Then that's my favorite.
>
>Except when I'm working with Maple. Then that's my favorite.
>
>Except when I'm working with Oak. Then that's, oh, wait a minute! I
>really don't care much for Oak.
>
>Seriously, I do love walnut. (http://tinyurl.com/4ygdgy2) And cherry,
>and maple...
<g> Um, couldn't you have made those bowties a BIT more gaudy?
Saaay, is that balsa?
--
...in order that a man may be happy, it is
necessary that he should not only be capable
of his work, but a good judge of his work.
-- John Ruskin
On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:14:50 -0500, dpb <[email protected]> wrote:
>On 8/16/2011 1:12 PM, dadiOH wrote:
>> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
>> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
>> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>>
>> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
>...
>
>I think I have to make the choice dependent on the use--some just are
>"the cat's meow" for one item but totally wrong for another...
>
>To the question as asked as to "pretty", I'd probably have to go to the
>rosewoods as most striking
Yes, I love dark woods like rosewood, walnut, jarrah, and bokote. I
put down a little entryway in Jatoba and like it a lot, too.
>w/ the Honduran mahogany as the ideal cabinet
>wood for the non-domestics.
Agreed, and Honduran mahogany carves nicely, too.
>For US domestics, that's a little more difficult altho it's hard to beat
>butternut on one hand but old salvage chestnut is another outstanding
>choice...the other of my favorites would be the Claro walnut followed by
>black walnut...
I haven't seen any claro walnut in local wood yards. What's so special
about it as opposed to black walnut? Juglans hindsii and nigra look
awfully similar in these pics. Same shade, similar figure.
http://www.gilmerwood.com/search_results.php?keywords=black+walnut
http://www.gilmerwood.com/search_results.php?keywords=walnut
>In it's place, white oak is so striking...there, we're back to what the
>use is matters...
Absolutely! QSWO is a dream.
>Like someone else already said, don't think I can have just one...
What really irks me is to see someone mix quilted maple, birdseye
maple, and some other extremely figured wood so there is no mellow
place on the piece. Everything fights for your eye. It's overkill and
it's downright UGLY! I prefer a basic box with a really nicely
figured top, or even a figured inset in a plain top. Classy.
--
...in order that a man may be happy, it is
necessary that he should not only be capable
of his work, but a good judge of his work.
-- John Ruskin
On 8/16/2011 9:27 PM, Robatoy wrote:
> On Aug 16, 2:12 pm, "dadiOH"<[email protected]> wrote:
>> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
>> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
>> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>>
>> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
>> ___________
>>
>> MY THOUGHTS
>>
>> A lot of you seem to favor cherry but it leaves me cold. Nothing wrong with
>> it, just doesn't grab me.
>>
>> Neither does maple except for curly or birdseye.
>>
>> Oak - white oak - is one of my favorites...hard, strong, works easily but I
>> would never call it pretty. Not even with a flake figure.
>>
>> Hickory is nice, rather like it.
>>
>> Birch isn't in the running, neither is beech.
>>
>> Walnut is a different story...works nicely, nice color, interesting grain
>> but not much figure. It would be my nomination for domestic wood.
>> _____________
>>
>> I haven't used a lot of imports...mahogany, khaya, makore, utile, nogal,
>> Phillipine mahogany, maybe 2-3 more.
>>
>> Nogal (Peruvian walnut) isn't as attractive as black walnut and is softer
>> but it can be very dark, almost black. Handy sometimes.
>>
>> I wouldn't characterize either makore or utile - especially utile - as very
>> attractive but they aren't bad looking.
>>
>> I think Phillipine mahogany is way under rated. Some of them are very nice.
>> Even rotary cut luan ply is useful...very plain grain which I prefer in
>> large expanses to things like Brazilian rosewood. Not too many years ago
>> there were acres and acres of Brazilian rosewood ply covering lobbies, board
>> rooms, elevators and meeting rooms. Used to make my head spin.
>>
>> Both mahogany and khaya are nice, among my favorites (sapele too) but my
>> pick for prettiest wood is koa.
>>
>> Wonderful and varied color, looks like mahogany on steroids. Used to be that
>> it was easy to get highly figured boards too but nowadays they are all
>> picked over by large shops before the boards ever see the light of retail
>> day. Biggest problem with koa is the price...now $45+- per board foot. I
>> used to get it for $0.50<sigh> when walnut and teak were in the $1.25 -
>> 1.35 range.
>>
>> --
>>
>> dadiOH
>> ____________________________
>>
>> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
>> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
>> LP/cassette and tips& tricks on this and that.
>> Get it athttp://mysite.verizon.net/xico
>
> If there had to be just one? Cherry.
> I like Purple Heart and Padouk.
>
> But the most incredible wood I have ever seen was the back of a 1957
> Gibson where the birds eye maple looked like pearls floating in liquid
> diamonds. I will never forget that.
Good trip? It was the druuugs... , mon
On 8/16/2011 8:35 PM, Steve wrote:
> On 2011-08-16 14:12:49 -0400, "dadiOH" <[email protected]> said:
>
>> Walnut is a different story...works nicely, nice color, interesting
>> grain but not much figure. It would be my nomination for domestic wood.
>
> Personally, walnut is my favorite, too.
>
> Except when I'm working with Cherry. Then that's my favorite.
>
> Except when I'm working with Maple. Then that's my favorite.
>
> Except when I'm working with Oak. Then that's, oh, wait a minute! I
> really don't care much for Oak.
>
> Seriously, I do love walnut. (http://tinyurl.com/4ygdgy2) And cherry,
> and maple...
>
>
Ever work with MDF? LOL
On 8/16/2011 4:16 PM, Steve Turner wrote:
> My favorite wood (regardless of imported vs. domestic) is Mesquite.
> Beautiful color, beautiful figure, strong, stable, hard (but not too
> hard), and a joy to work with tools, both hand and power. The only
> downside (IMO) is that the trees are so scraggly it's hard to find good
> clear lumber in usable sizes at a decent price.
... and you can't beat the scraps for cooking a steak.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)
dadiOH wrote:
> There have been several L O N G off topic posts recently so I thought I'd
> start one that was ON topic and still allow y'all to comment, rave, rant,
> discuss, etc. at great length :)
>
> What do you think is the prettiest hardwood, domestic or imported?
> ___________
snip
Heart sweetgum (domestic) is hard to beat and easy to turn.
--
Gerald Ross
If the shoe fits, put it in your mouth.