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Early Access Video: Choose the Best Wood (Patreon)

Published:
2019-07-13 20:46:17
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Friends: 

This one took a lot longer than I was expecting, but I give you my (sort of) brief guide to choosing wood for furniture and DIY projects. 

As always, I want to hear what YOU think!

Happy Saturday!

--Rex

Files

Previews only

Choose the best wood for your project

Comments

Matthew Leigh
>>24705996

I'm making an end grain cutting board at the moment with jarrah as the dark wood. So. Much. Sanding. I had a go at planing it to get rid of a glue misalignment and my plane is curled up in the corner rocking back and forth muttering to itself.

Daniel Bohrer

Ohhh, this is great information, thank you for doing this video! I also absolutely agree with you on using locally available wood whenever possible. I'm in Germany and we don't have a lot of American red and white oak here, but I guess the European oak is a good equivalent to white oak in terms of hardness and ease of use. Also beech wood is basically ubiquitous here, which I would also put it into the easy-to-use-hardwoods category.

Drew Nelson

Thanks Rex, this was really helpful.

Rex Krueger
>>24709314

Beech grows here, but you don't see it in the lumber yard too often. It's a shame because planes are made from it and it is easy to work.

Rex Krueger
>>24705996

I think that's a situation where the low-angle smoother and jack come out. I don't own these planes, but I think they're perfect for these specialized tasks.

Eduardo

Rex, I recommend you to read something about Eucalipt. It is an Australian wood we use a lot here in Brazil. The trees grow here as well as they do in Australia. When the tree is mature for harvesting, it will have a very dense red core surrounded by a softer, but still hard, outher layer and a very soft white layer nead to the bark. If you lumber it accordingly, you get all kinds of wood you need from a single tree. It is used most for construction, but one can find forniture made of it some now and then. I made a small table for my wife with the soft eucalipt and it is working fine! I am not sugesting you to use it or making something to please your Brazilian and Australian viewer. I just thougth you would find it interesting.

Matthew Leigh
>>24705996

I was going to buy a low angle jack but they were out of stock so I went with the regular jack plane instead

Matthew Leigh
>>24719949

Eucalypt is a really big family of trees, do you know what species or specific name is the one you use commonly?

Eduardo
>>24719949

Sure! My mistake. I am referring to Corymbia citriodora. It is the species of Eucalypt that grows here. I imagine that in Australia there is hundreds of species, but here we have very few and the vast majority of trees (over 90%) are citriodora.

Benoit Holliger

It's funny that polar is not very pop(u)lar

Michale Tatalovich
>>24731694

Actually it is popular especially if you are going to paint the finished piece,, as well as for areas that will not be seen much like drawer cases and internal framing for chest of drawers and the like! It is used at least here in the US a lot as it is reasonably stable and works well with all tools. Due to its color and lack of character in the grain department it is not usually used as a show species, but it smooths great and takes paint very well!

Duncan

Great video Rex. Thanks so much.

Jason Brooks
>>24719949

I'm in Australia, and I dont think I've specifically used Corymbia citriodora before - I think that is "blue spotted gum".... But basically everything else I have available is some sort of Eucalypt... Rex did a fantastic job working through HIS selection of woods... and I learned a lot. But I would LOVE a local Aussie expert to do the same video on local Australian woods.... Our "big box store" basically has pine. Eucalypts (usually of mixed varieties), and Merbau - a darker cheap imported tropical hardwood mainly used for decking. Our Eucalypts are marketed and sold under other names that are very misleading to the uninitiated.... eg: "Victorian Ash" is not ash - is actually two different varieties of Eucalypt. "Tasmanian Oak" is not Oak - actually three varieties of Eucalypt - the same two varieties of Eucalypt as victorian ash, plus an extra one. It does not help the novice like me trying to work it out :)

Matthew Leigh
>>24719949

"The Wood Knight" has a couple of videos on various woods Jason. It doesn't help that it differs wildly from state to state either - here in Western Australia I have quite a different selection to what he has in Melbourne, so even though he's a local Aussie, it's still of limited relevance

Kostas Karanatsis

have you ever used olive wood? here we have a lot but in small pieces, i know it's hard to find and it costs a lot. i can send you some to test it and tell your opinion if you want, it smells very nice and have very nice textures contact me if you want :)

Rex Krueger
>>24746256

Funny that you should mention that. I used to live in the Central Valley of California, where they used to grow some olives. I was always looking for olive to turn, but never got my hands on a piece. If you're really offering, then YES! I'm dying to try it.

William Allen

Nice guitar eh. That was really useful. Learned a lot. Have you tried dovetails in cedar? Annoyingly the tails split out on me. After assembly, when I was sitting on the bench thinking “man this is actually really comfortable”. Is that just cedar? Or did I cut the tails wrong for the grain?

Nic Beurskens
>>24754626

My experience with cedar (non-aromatic), is that it can be quite brittle. It splits incredibly easily. I would venture to guess your tails might have been just slightly too tight on your pins, or glue swelling the joint may have added just enough pressure to cause a split. The good news is it glues up beautifully!

William Allen
>>24754626

Ah, too tight, plus glue swelling. That’s probably it. And ya, I’ll Reggie after a tiny trim, thanks kindly

Mark L

Rex, Thank you. I got a lot out of this video. The bowl in which you used Purple Heart did raise one question. If you are making pieces for food related use (salad bowl, cutting board, spoons, etc.) are there woods you favor and/or woods you avoid?

David

Rex, I like your personal way of dividing the wood types. I’ve worked with soft wood and springy but not the other groups. This video has certainly given me an idea of some other woods to work with. Keep up the great work!

Matthew Leigh
>>24754626

Hide glue doesn't swell the wood, and it lubricates the joint as well. May be a better choice for that kind of joint?

Rex Krueger
>>24807587

I'm really glad you found it helpful! Get you some walnut or cherry, your life will never be the same.

Rex Krueger
>>24800937

Good question! Most North American hardwoods are food safe, but MANY exotics are dangerous. One big consideration is that the pores on ring-porous woods can trap food particles, which is not sanitary. This is why you generally don't see oak cutting boards.

Jim Williams

My classification is simpler: I Can't Afford That! and That Will Sorta Work. :)

Adrian Abshire

I got walnut, cherry, ambrosia and some other hard woods. Can’t wait to use them!

Marc Gigliello

That was a great explanation of a complicated subject. I’m going to have stop by a local cabinet maker to inquire what woods are plentiful near me. That is a beautiful bench you made, would you consider making it a project in one of your videos. Stay Safe... Gigs