# Your Favorite Wood



## kennosborne (Mar 16, 2004)

*What is your favorite wood?*
(Five random types have been listed. If other please reply with type.)


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## Scott (Mar 16, 2004)

Hi Kenn,

Nice idea for a poll!  I voted for Cocobolo because, believe it or not, it is the only one of the choices I have actually made a pen out of!  I know, I know!  Now if you had put Thuya, Afzelia Lay, African Blackwood, Pink Ivory and Buckeye burl, I might have had more of an opinion!   ;-)

If I were to be truthful, I would have to answer that my favorite wood is anything I get from Bill Baumbeck!   ;-)

Scott.


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## jeff (Mar 16, 2004)

I really enjoy turning Cocobolo, and I think it looks great with chrome or platinum fittings.  I bought a big load of it off eBay a while ago, but it's almost gone []


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## woodpens (Mar 17, 2004)

I recently pulled out a big 2x8 board that I thought was Purpleheart. When I cut a section of it into pen blanks, it turned out to be a very right orange Cocobolo. I don't have a clue where I got that, but I'm not complaining. []


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## Scott (Mar 17, 2004)

Jeff,

A little while back, Sheila from Pens of Color advertised here that Cocobolo was their sale wood of the month.  So I ordered some in and just received it the other day.  Very nice pen blanks, and reasonable price as well!  I'm going to enjoy turning them!  You might check and see if the sale is still on!

Scott.


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## jckossoy (Mar 17, 2004)

My favorite is African Tambotie.  I found some on ebay and it looked nice.  It turns great and the grain on the wood varies from piece to piece.

I'll post some pictures as soon as I can of all the pens that I've made in the last few weeks.

Jeff


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## Randy (Mar 17, 2004)

Jeff,
I too like Tambotie, got some at Rocklers and the only problem is that it loads up the sandpaper real bad. I started wiping it down with acetone before hand and that seems to help. I also started using the wipe on polyurethane and that seems to keep a better shine on the pen than the friction polish did.


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## Crashresq (Mar 17, 2004)

My favorite is good ol' Oklahoma walnut.


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## pstrom (Mar 17, 2004)

My favorite woods for penturning are Mesquite and Bois D'arc (Osage Orage)


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## fmunday (Mar 18, 2004)

> _Originally posted by pstrom_
> <br />My favorite woods for penturning are Mesquite and Bois D'arc (Osage Orage)


I too like Osage Orange or as they call it in my part of the country; Hedge Trees.  I don't buy mine locally though.  All of the sources here have dried lumber fresh from the kiln and it is bright yellow.  I am partial to the older, well seasoned wood.  Its hard as a rock, pretty stable and doesn't look a thing like the bright yellow fresh from the kiln.  I love that deep orange/brown.


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## RussFairfield (Mar 18, 2004)

My favorite wood has always been the one that that sells the fastest. That has always been Olive. 

It doesn't matter where it came from, Olive sells well. I use Olive wood from California because it is there and it is free. Some of it has a grain pattern that is as bold and colorful as any of the wood from the Mediterranean trees. Most of it is a lighter color contrast. That probably has more to do with the age of the tree than where it was grown.

Olive is an easy wood to turn and sand, but the oil can make it difficult to get to a high gloss finish. The oil in the wood will usually dull the first coat. My best advice on finishing Olive is to not get in a hurry. After waiting a few day for the first finish to fully cure and start to lose its gloss, buffing and finishing again will usually make a higher gloss that will stay. If not, do it one more time. 

Like all oily woods, pure dewaxed shellac applied with a very little Mineral Oil used as a lubricant will produce a more lasting finish than any of the Friction Polish products. I think it is the waxes and oils in the Friction Polishes that makes them lose their gloss from the oils in the wood.


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## chgrjim (Mar 23, 2004)

That was quite a selection to choose from!  However, at least for now, I am thoroughly enchanted with American White Holly.[]  I have made a few pens (of varying styles) and each one is beautiful.

Jim (chgrjim)


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## Kurt Aebi (Mar 26, 2004)

Cherry is my favorite, closely followed by white oak.  Mainly because both are readily available in my area, so that is what I use most


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## bud duffy (Mar 27, 2004)

I realy like to use Sagebrush root the contrasting yellows and dark browns make it interesting.The next favorite would be Greasewood it looks kinda like a mix of oak and mesqite , both are local for me altho the sagebrush root is sort of a pain to harvest amd i only seem to get about one pen per root sometimes two but not very often. And they sell the best for me besides Antler.   Bud


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## Bethlehem Olive Wood (Mar 31, 2004)

Well my favorite wood is of course Bethlehem Holy Land olive wood burls.I actually love all burls in particular.  ;-)

Many Blessings
Diane Darwesh


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## PM Woodworks (May 8, 2004)

I have turned with various hardwoods. While I like them all (its really hard to pick) I think I like the Buckeye Burl the best. I made a very pretty one and fell in love with it. I carry it everyday and it is my "showoff" pen.


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## Tom Stephens (May 10, 2004)

This is a very difficult question. There are so many
beautiful woods. I like crosscut black palm, but it is
a little tough to work with. Buckeye burl is very nice.
I like a lot of the colored burls that are avaliable. I have also used a few of the '_plastic_' blanks with very nice results.
There are just too many to choose from.
Tom


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## tipusnr (May 16, 2004)

African Blackwood is one of my favorites.  I can't make an entire pen out of it but it works well with other woods as well as plastics and solid surface materials as an accent.


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## jrc (Jun 1, 2004)

Lilac.  I pick it up after a museum prunes.  Last year they pruned 4 cords.  About 1/4 had purple in it. I took enought to make about 2000 pens.  I use buckthorn too,  I found some buckthorn burl also.  I only use local woods, people seem to want that more than the fancy stuff.  I never buy wood.  I cut my own or it's someones scrap or firewood.


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## surg87 (Jun 1, 2004)

I prefer crosscut spalted woods - Alder is my favorite.  Others that are outstanding in spalted crosscut are variegated chechum (eBay), english beech (somewhat hard to turn due to soft spots).

If you like lighter woods, try Arizona Silhouette for gold boxelder burl...  finally if you like really bold grain get some of their Desert Ironwood.

Kent


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## Larry Gottlieb (Jun 1, 2004)

Spalted maple (harvested from farm)
Walnut and buckthorn are tied for second
Larry


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## leenollie (Jun 1, 2004)

Hi Kenn,

I chose "other" because the woods I like to work with the most are not listed. I have worked with Cocobolo, and think it is a fine wood, but I guess my all time favorite(s) would have to be either Spalted Pecan, Walnut, and/or Maple (Bird's Eye and Fiddleback.) I might also add Mesquite, but I haven't really worked with it as much as I'd like.

Lee Biggers
The ever curious pen turner []


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## melchioe (Jun 3, 2004)

I second the vote of "anything from Bill Baumbeck".  Other than that, I have become very attached to cocobolo - that wood doesn't even need a finish, and it starts looking *better* after use as the oils come out of the wood to the surface.  it's become the most popular of the woods in the pens I sell, and I really like the smell of it as I drill...


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## bigdove (Aug 31, 2004)

I am just amazed at how many woods there are to turn from.  As a beginner I knew there were quite a few but you guys have opened my eyes to many new things.  Thanks


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## baldysm (Sep 1, 2004)

I must say, I don't understand the cocobolo attraction. If the wood is dark, it is a gorgeous wood. Many times it starts out dark, and after I turn it, its white, or pale brown, or orange, even a purple. Pen I made today is all of those colors.


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2004)

I am surprised no one  has mentioned Botoce.It's like Christmas morning when I turn it.Amazing patternes appear.


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## jwoodwright (Sep 12, 2004)

Mesquite.  Turns and finishs nicely.


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## jbjwood2000 (Sep 13, 2004)

Dessert ironwood has always been one of my favorites. just finished 4 pens last night, now I am out and got the blues!


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## KirkB (Sep 19, 2004)

My favorite wood is Honduran Rosewood that I get at my local Woodcraft store.  It is rich looking wood that ranges in color from light to dark blanks in a ten pack.  It is tight grained and turns well with minimal sanding needed.[]


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## wayneis (Sep 20, 2004)

Its to pick a favorite but I think that it would be a toss up between three, Red Amboyna Burl, Praduck Burl and Cocobolo from Idaho Bill(ilikewood).  Scott some Cocobolo may be a little boring but if you ever get a chance to get ahold of some from Bill then jump because its what I call "gem quality" wood.  The colors and grain patterns are out of this world.  

Wayne


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## Andy Ryan (Feb 8, 2005)

My fovorite wood is......FREE.[]


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## Hugob (Feb 8, 2005)

My Favorites..... the one's that sell.
Olive / Red or Pink Ivory / local wood (Kiaat) for me.
The one that's standing out ---- OLIVE!!!!


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## leehljp (Feb 8, 2005)

Pressure treated pine knot -
I saw a beautiful pen by Lee Styrone just after Christmas and he asked me if I knew what it was. It had a slightly green tint but was golden in nature. Reminded me of olive wood and I said so. I have not seen an olive wood pen although I have seen olive wood on numerous occasions, so I couldn't be certain. He said guess more closer to home. I looked again closer and said "Pine"? He said yep! Made from a piece of pressure treated pine and he got the knot out and made if from the knot. Nice looking.

Lee is famous on another forum for making a specialized and highly prized blade guards for certain table saws.

I am partial to dark woods though. I might change as I get into turning. I'm about to get my small shop in order enough to start turning. Maybe another couple of weeks. You guys are dangling eye candy before me!


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## ryannmphs (Feb 8, 2005)

so far my favorite wood to turn has been Australian Cypress.  I got a few pieces from my dad, who works for a flooring store.  These were display pieces that they were throwing away, so he took some home to usin with scrollsawing.  I believe I have a pic of the cypress in my photo album, if not I will upload one this morning.


Ryan


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## C_Ludwigsen (Feb 8, 2005)

Red Mallee Burl...  Yummmmmmmmmm


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## Gary (Feb 8, 2005)

I voted for amboyna burl, but it is one of three or four of my favorites. There are just so many beautiful woods to work with. That's one thing that makes woodworking so rewarding.


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## Mudder (Feb 8, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Eaglesc_
> <br />I am surprised no one  has mentioned Botoce.



I've never see that wood but there is a real nice wood that I love to turn called Bocote. [}] It turns very nice but some folks mistake it for zebrawood which is another that I like to turn.


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## Woodbutcher68 (Feb 8, 2005)

After making a handle for a magnifying glass out of Snakewood, I've got a new favorite!


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## Gary (Feb 8, 2005)

Thant's an interesting thought. I no longer use friction polish on pens because I noticed they would lose their gloss even without handling. A few weeks in a pen case and unused, and what originally was a nice looking finish, would be a dull looking pen. I wondered why.



> _Originally posted by RussFairfield_
> <br />...Like all oily woods, pure dewaxed shellac applied with a very little Mineral Oil used as a lubricant will produce a more lasting finish than any of the Friction Polish products. I think it is the waxes and oils in the Friction Polishes that makes them lose their gloss from the oils in the wood.


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## ilikewood (Feb 8, 2005)

Is there a wood or burl out there that is NOT to like?  
(ilikewood)!!!


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## opfoto (Feb 8, 2005)

I have limited experience with a few of the mentioned woods as far as turning goes but, I like alot of the BOW pens that have been shown here recently.


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## mapletree (Feb 10, 2005)

Was interesting to read about the pen made out of treated lumber.  Have made some like that and people have a hard time believing what it is.  My favorite is spalded maple that I gather while cutting firewood. Dry it in a microwave.  Always makes for an iteresting story that it was salvaged out of the cookstove wood pile.  Of course I spend to much time inspecting wood when I should be cutting.  People wonder why it takes me so long to get a load of wood.


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## Rifleman1776 (Feb 11, 2005)

Favorite wood? That's like asking for one's favorite chocolate treat. With a few exceptions, how about "all of the above". []


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## woodscavenger (Feb 11, 2005)

Cocobolo turns nicley and holds some great lines, but after BB sent me a free sample of desert ironwood I may have a new favorite.


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## J. Fred Muggs (Feb 11, 2005)

I was just counting up the other day, and as best I can recollect, I've turned about 125 different woods to date.  The only one I don't like is wenge.  I love olivewood, pink ivory, ebony, almost all the burls, afzelia, koa, blackwood, holly, tambootie, and on and on.  But, if I have to pick one, Snakewood wins hands down.


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## mik (Mar 6, 2005)

I just love wood! But having moved to Greece and a particular area - the Pelopennese, perhaps I need to justify it![]

On my travels around the globe, of course looking for the "holy grail" in olive wood I decided wild Greek was unbeaten. The trees here average 600yrs old and go on till well into they are over 1,000yrs old!
In Greece for a start the olive from Crete is too well farmed and old stocks have dwindled, result the wood has less figuring and tends to be very dark, in Corfu the weather and soil plays it part and the wood is more blond, just move a little East and Albanian olive is positively pale with a lot of pink!
Italian olive well they put it in pizza ovens! [}]
Israel olive is very good but not wild enough for me! 
Spanish olive well over cultivated and perhaps has lost it's soul. [xx(]
French is good but they buy wild Greek olive off me! [8D]
Australian well quite frankly just a baby in diapers but has great potential! [8D]
American, young but has some style as already mentined above. []
By the way China is trying to mass produce it!?[]

There is more but I fear I may bore you[]


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## Tom McMillan (Mar 6, 2005)

Hey---Just ask Lou, Mike---You cannot bore me with anything about "OLIVEWOOD"---Great to know there's more than one of us Olivewood connoisseurs around.  Wish I had the opportunity to see all the ones you've had the opportunity to see---gotta love it!!!!!


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 6, 2005)

Anything with figure and free. Actually, it is usually the last kind I turned. Last week it was cocobolo, then sugar berry, then my most recent pen was afzelia burl. Of course olive is always right up there. Decisions, decisions.... That's an 'other' vote.


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## Woodbutcher68 (Mar 6, 2005)

> [By the way China is trying to mass produce it!?/quote]
> 
> They're probably talking to Wal-Mart about it already!


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