What wood would and what wood wouldn't make your preferred species to work with.

[NorthernSteve]

As fellow woodworking enthusiasts, I'm curious to tap into the collective wisdom of this community: which specific wood species have you found to be the most challenging or downright unpleasant to work with?
Whether it's due to an unforgiving grain pattern, unexpected hardness, or any other characteristic that has turned a project into a struggle, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Today I had fun, to say the least, making an Iroko box. I found sanding it was hard going and anything above 240 grit brought a sheen to it. The end grain was tough to plane. The colour variations in it were nice from chocolate brown to yellow, but I won't be using it again in a hurry. I had one mitred corner that was a little open and my usual trick of rolling a screwdriver along the grain to crush it a little (to close the 1/2mm gap) proved hard to do.

 

[Dabop]

Here in Australia- Ironbark....

Its a great timber if you want things to last- insect resistant, lasts half a century or more even untreated- BUT-

They don't call it ironbark for nothing...

It blunts drills (forget using a spade bit- use twist drills rated for steel lol), saws, chisels, everything...

You can't even hammer nails through it unless its literally a 'sheet'- you will bend more than you get in...

Screws need predrilling pilot holes or they will snap...

Popular for fenceposts and the like, but working with it-urgh...

 

[Blackswanwood]

interesting question … I have a piece of elm that is absolutely stunning but the most awful timber to plane. I keep thinking I’ll use it and then end up putting it back in the rack.

London Plane can also be a bit of a pig for tear out when planing. If it’s got the flecks in it (lacewood) it’s worth the effort.

Best all rounder imo for box making is Cherry. Very easy to work, takes finish well and attractive.

 

[johnnyb]

Always redwood pine is my favourite all round wood. My least favourite is iroko or hard oak(American white oak) But walnut bot black and euro are superb timbers in most respects.
I've also found English(hardwoid)trees from small sawmills can be the very nicest and distinct looking.

 

[sawtooth-9]

In Australia - NT ironbark, tough to work with, but great results.
Also love pure black ebony, but use the metal lathe to turn it !
River Red Gum produces a great finish and is easy to work.
For beauty and ease of working - Tiger Myrtle
Have also used Bloodwood, Blackbutt, Brown Box and Yellow Box.
So many choices, but all the "hardwoods" are not easy to work.

 

[recipio]

Too bad we are limited to Americn hardwoods in the British Isles ( more or less ). I find that the historical context dictates the wood.You wouldn't make Shaker furniture out of oak for instance.
For sheer workability I love Ash but the pronounced grain can stand out .Otherwise black walnut and maple are my favourites.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Too bad we are limited to Americn hardwoods in the British Isles ( more or less ). I find that the historical context dictates the wood.You wouldn't make Shaker furniture out of oak for instance.
For sheer workability I love Ash but the pronounced grain can stand out .Otherwise black walnut and maple are my favourites.

I agree re Ash - lovely timber.

Interesting that you say we’re limited to American Hardwoods in the British Isles. I think you are in Ireland and wonder if that’s more the case there? I’d say Sycamore, Ash, Yew, Oak, Sweet Chestnut, Cherry, Walnut are pretty easy to pick up.

 

[Roland]

For turning you can’t beat the grain and colour of Yew, but it’s not food safe. In fact it’s toxic. Turned green I use full mask, long sleeves, and plastic gloves. Laburnum is not much better.

 

[Distinterior]

I work a bit with Spalted woods and they have challenges of their own.
It's a thin line between over-spalted and just right......Leave it too long and it becomes far too soft to get a good finish on......Machine it up too early and the spalting can be a bit indistinct.......I do like the look of it though!

 

[thetyreman]

definitely avoid padauk and iroko, I have reacted badly to both. A few favourites for me are american cherry, sycamore, beech, pear, ebony, walnut, oak and ash, and I like redwood pine as well.

 

[recipio]

I agree re Ash - lovely timber.

Interesting that you say we’re limited to American Hardwoods in the British Isles. I think you are in Ireland and wonder if that’s more the case there? I’d say Sycamore, Ash, Yew, Oak, Sweet Chestnut, Cherry, Walnut are pretty easy to pick up.

Yes , I'm in Ireland. We don't have a long tradition of cabinetmaking here so hardwood suppliers are thin on the ground.Most of the trade caters for the kitchen cabinet makers and that collapsed in 2008 more or less
It"s all sprayed MDF now
.The UK is lucky - there is a lot to be said for tradition
!

 

[NorthernSteve]

Here in Australia- Ironbark....

Its a great timber if you want things to last- insect resistant, lasts half a century or more even untreated- BUT-

They don't call it ironbark for nothing...

It blunts drills (forget using a spade bit- use twist drills rated for steel lol), saws, chisels, everything...

You can't even hammer nails through it unless its literally a 'sheet'- you will bend more than you get in...

Screws need predrilling pilot holes or they will snap...

Popular for fenceposts and the like, but working with it-urgh...

Sounds a nightmare but useful in appropriate applications.

 

[NorthernSteve]

I

interesting question … I have a piece of elm that is absolutely stunning but the most awful timber to plane. I keep thinking I’ll use it and then end up putting it back in the rack.

London Plane can also be a bit of a pig for tear out when planing. If it’s got the flecks in it (lacewood) it’s worth the effort.

Best all rounder imo for box making is Cherry. Very easy to work, takes finish well and attractive.

Over the years I have seen some beautiful country furniture type chair seats made from Elm, amazing grain. I have never worked it, but looking at a sample piece in my office I can see how doing so could prove difficult.

 

[NorthernSteve]

Too bad we are limited to Americn hardwoods in the British Isles ( more or less ). I find that the historical context dictates the wood.You wouldn't make Shaker furniture out of oak for instance.
For sheer workability I love Ash but the pronounced grain can stand out .Otherwise black walnut and maple are my favourites.

Thanks, what do you make with the Maple?

 

[NorthernSteve]

definitely avoid padauk and iroko, I have reacted badly to both. A few favourites for me are american cherry, sycamore, beech, pear, ebony, walnut, oak and ash, and I like redwood pine as well.

Tyreman, when you said reacted badly, do you mean physically or mentally?

 

[Dabop]

Sounds a nightmare but useful in appropriate applications.

I (about two years ago) helped a mate put a ironbark fence in (rather than than the gumtree posts I put on my own property)- the chainsaw had to be sharpened daily, and the fencing staples for the wire- well, mine I just hammered them into the posts, his- we had to drill pilot holes for each and every staple- two of them per staple- four strands per fence, hundreds of posts...

 

[Spectric]

I use Redwood for many projects but have used Sapele for bathroom paneling / mouldings and some other projects whilst Oak for others. What I have noticed is how much cleaner cuts you can get on Sapele and Oak when compared to redwood either with sawing or routing. Sapele can throw up the odd issue though, I find it can occasionally tearout.

Whilst on this subject any views on Popular aka tulipwood and what are people using to make cabinet doors, redwood frame / ply panel or what ?

Previously I have found Iroko to be a PITA to work with and when routing I needed to take more shallower cuts to maintain control and give a good finish.

 

[recipio]

Thanks, what do you make with the Maple?

Mostly Shaker furniture but it's hard to get. One wood I never see mentioned is Douglas Fir.it's a lovely knot free softwood and it would be nice to find some for sale.

 

[NorthernSteve]

I use Redwood for many projects but have used Sapele for bathroom paneling / mouldings and some other projects whilst Oak for others. What I have noticed is how much cleaner cuts you can get on Sapele and Oak when compared to redwood either with sawing or routing. Sapele can throw up the odd issue though, I find it can occasionally tearout.

Whilst on this subject any views on Popular aka tulipwood and what are people using to make cabinet doors, redwood frame / ply panel or what ?

Previously I have found Iroko to be a PITA to work with and when routing I needed to take more shallower cuts to maintain control and give a good finish.

Tulip wood, is a favourite of a college local to me, that and Ash. Whilst cost is a driving factor, one of the tutors stated that it was good for students to learn with.

 

[thetyreman]

Tyreman, when you said reacted badly, do you mean physically or mentally?

I found padauk quite nasty, just gave me a rash and felt sick, it's fine but when you become sensitised to one species it's probably a good idea not to use it again even with handtools, it's mainly the dust, never had a problem with native species though, I'd probably avoid yew and wouldn't be in a rush to use it without protection and proper PPE like a powered respirator.