Favorite woods to turn?

[Dennis Ford]

This is a fun thread to read. I mostly turn local woods and will add one that is not mentioned above. Crepe Myrtle, appears to be impossible to dry whole log sections but when quartered and end sealed, it drys into great blanks for finials, tops etc. Hard and fine grained, it takes detail well.
Another nice wood that I did not see mentioned is Russian Olive, not local to me but turns well and often has interesting character.

[Ken Glass]

I enjoy turning most Burled woods, both hardwood and soft. My favorite is Black Cherry Burl as shown. It never disappoints. I have an unlimited supply of it in the Ozarks.....

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Yes Ken, it’s another one that I forgot to add to my list, there are a few more, but yes a nice wood to turn, I liked the looks of it and it did turn well, it was from a local tree that was cut up and sat for a few years, turned just 2 or 3 pieces out of it.

This one found a place in BC and is liked a lot, we have another similar one here in our place.
Russian Olive bowl.jpg

[robert baccus]

Like Dennis, I like this thread. My love of wood started by boat work and gunstocking in my misspent youth & led me to a career in forest management and turning. I also turn 95% local woods but love tropicals for desert. Many of our locals are transplanted foreign species and many are "lost tropicals" which have all the characteristics and looks of tropicals. These evolved in the tropics and survived the many ice ages to survive and thrive here. Catalpa, Mulberry, Bo-Darc, Black and honey locusts, and many trees in Florida jump to mind. "Favorite species" can refere to the appearances after finishing or the working characteristics, durability and finishing advantages as well.

[John K Jordan]

Like Dennis, I like this thread. My love of wood started by boat work and gunstocking in my misspent youth & led me to a career in forest management and turning. I also turn 95% local woods but love tropicals for desert. ...

Robert, have you tried turning Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)? I think I mentioned earlier that it's a type of Ebony. I like your comment about tropicals for dessert. (You did mean dessert rather than desert, right?)

I cut up persimmon when a tree comes down or has to be taken down for some reason. It is so different in color and figure from tree to tree - some is almost white. I still have quite a bit like this from a tree I took down in 2006.

persimmon_boxes_e_small.jpg

If I had to stick with turning just a few local woods I think I'd pick Dogwood and Persimmon, with Holly and Cherry right behind. If you ever get up this way, stop in and visit and I'll give you some pieces from the farm to try.

JKJ

[robert baccus]

John, I strongly agree with your choices of native woods- I would also add S. Magnolia, Eastern hophorn beam (ironwood), Black hearted Sweetgum heart and mineral stained Yellow Poplar. I do love to turn Persimmon especially if one can find some black streaked heartwood. I used to sell big persimmons to buyers as white ebony. Dogwood and Persimmon were once sold at very high prices by locals in the south at every city square on certain days --for textile spindle shuttles--worn well and smooth. Love to come but Lymes is winning fast. Old Forester

[David Larry Smith]

I didn't see red willow in all the good turning woods----my Dad used red willow in the early sixties out in Colorado---I don't know how he found the trees but always got them free and would turn some nice candlesticks for the farmers that gave them to him---he turned hundreds of candle holders and I never seen any crack----I've turned oaks, elms, maples, cheery, walnut, hackberry, Russian olive, and apricot, but red willow was the best----Dave