What's that smell?

[Brian Brown]

Last weekend, I started a new segmented piece, and tried zebra wood for the first time. As soon as I cut into it, my nostrils were assaulted with the smell. PU!!! I have found a few other woods that have a really putrid smell like Russian olive. I know a lot of people don't like the smell of walnut, but I like it. So I wondered, what woods do you think smell the worst when you work with them? Also, what woods have the best smell? Let me know what you think about different woods green or dry, and common or exotic.

Brian

[Dan Forman]

Sassafras is nice, a complex blend of camphor, licorice, and lavender if I recall correctly.

Dan

[John Hart]

I like cherry the best....kinda like pie. My most unfavorite was a piece of wet, moldy, worm-riddened, spalted hickory. Sorta had that flavorful compost bouquet.

[George Guadiane]

Opiuma (An Hawaiian wood) smells like a musty public bathroom. I threw the rest of that one away.
Weeping Willow burl doesn't smell much better and it's NO FUN to turn... Really soft AND it likes to get furry, no matter how sharp the tools.

My favorite so far is cherry burl. It smells different from "plain" cherry to me, kind of like the old cherry flavored pipe tobacco smelled when I was a kid - back in the dinosaur days

[Bernie Weishapl]

I to love the smell of cherry burl. Smells like my grandpa's pipe. Walnut is a close second.

[Neal Addy]

Worst smelling: Thuya
Best smelling: Amboyna, Cherry

[Chris Fierro]

I really like the smell of lignum vitae. It smells like a milder, nicer version of incense.

[Don Orr]

One of my favorites to turn is Cedar/Juniper. Makes the whole shop smell great for several days. I just got a big piece from my nephew, an arborist.

[TYLER WOOD]

cedar, honey locust, cherry, bacote, lignum vitae. All of these to me have pleasing smells to them.

Oak, green cotton wood, elm (some varieties) are wretched. Cotton wood smelling the worst. My garage smelled like 500 cats had used the garage as a urination station!!

[Roy Hatch]

Spanish cedar has what I call a spicey aroma. Made a humidor over a year ago and have some scraps that still smell great.

Roy

[Reed Gray]

Love cherry, myrtle, walnut, cascara (chittum here) smells like pumpkins, chinkapin (golden chesnut), apple, some maples smell like bread yeast. Others I am sure. Worst is cottonwood, smells like some one threw up. Rotting woods can also have a very sour smell.
robo hippy

[Bill White]

Like the spicey fragrance of padauk. Just don't like to try to get the greasey dust off everything.
Bill

[Barry Elder]

I agree with you on the Zebrawood. Reminds me of a corral full of animals with an "intestinal disorder". Good woods to turn include aromatic cedar, olive, and cherry.

[Tyler Purcell]

Call me strange but the distinct smell of zebrawood has grown on me. If I had to describe it, I'd say its a mix of wet dog, parmesan cheese, and white wine. At first I hated it but now when I smell it, it no longer reminds me of all these things but rather simply of woodworking (does that make sense?). I also love the smell of purpleheart, very sweet, almost like candy. And I am with everyone else on the big three domestics... cherry, maple, and walnut all smell great!

[Jon Lanier]

I have found thus far the only wood smell I don't like is Poplar. I don't know why? I like Walnut and Sassafras the best. Bethlehem Olive Wood is up there as well.