Prettiest Lumber???

[JWright]

Just want to hear some opinions. What tree has produced the prettiest lumber for some of you?

[beenthere]

Pretty?  What might that be, in lumber?

Part of Speech:  adjective 
Definition:  attractive 
Synonyms:  appealing, beauteous, beautiful, boss*, charming, cheerful, cher, comely, cute, dainty, darling, delicate, delightful, dishy, dreamboat, elegant, eyeful, fair, fine, foxy*, good-looking, graceful, handsome, looker, lovely, neat, nice, picture, pleasant, pleasing, pulchritudinous, tasteful 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

The prettiest lumber to me is always the ugliest.
But if I had to pick 1, it was this old Red Oak that came out of the swamp. I'll never forget sawing it.....bugs and mice running out of the holes as I sawed it. So I made a bench. 

****Yep, I'm up at 3:45 am. Couldn't sleep. Emma barking at something in the back Yard.  ****



 

[dgdrls]

The first piece of Hickory I ran on my new mill last summer.


 

DGDrls

[red oaks lumber]

nothing better than a  piece of ash ;D sorry i could help myself, some say i;m a smartash :D

[1woodguy]

I like lots of different wood ,have seen afew persimmon and myrtle that stick in my mind
  The kind of lumber that on sight forms an image of what to make from it

[mesquite buckeye]

The prettiest lumber to me is always the ugliest.
But if I had to pick 1, it was this old Red Oak that came out of the swamp. I'll never forget sawing it.....bugs and mice running out of the holes has I sawed it. So I made a bench. 

****Yep, I'm up at 3:45 am. Couldn't sleep. Emma barking at something in the back Yard.  ****




 

Very cool

[mesquite buckeye]

This catclaw acacia was pretty nice.



 

[ladylake]

  Black ash.   Steve

[Lud]

The prettiest lumber is the wood I'm cutting at the moment.  The anticipation of flipping off the plank, sweeping the dust, and the reveal!  Oh,  the mystery!   8)

[Axe Handle Hound]

I would say the prettiest lumber I've personally had cut was a very large, old white ash.  I had it cut in to 20"+ boards and every one of them had some incredible grain patterns.  I'd give a photo, but first I'd have to unstack a few thousand board feet of lumber that is currently sitting on top of them to keep them flat and I'm not feeling quite up to that.   ;)

[Chuck White]

I like the looks of Black Cherry.

[Riggs]

Just because I don't see it much, ERC, I love the color and character.

[blaze83]

i enjoy cutting walnut, the way it starts out greenish and then turns chocolate  8)

[rooster 58]

    Ah, that Red Oaks< He's a funny one ;D

[dboyt]

Any piece that causes a customer to take out his checkbook and ask "how much?" is a gem.  I agree that "ugly is pretty" and that character is what really makes for a great piece of wood.  I'm partial to salvaged pieces like this cherry that was left in the wood to rot.



  

  

  

 

[Jim H]

quartersawn white oak

[mesquite buckeye]

Any piece that causes a customer to take out his checkbook and ask "how much?" is a gem.  I agree that "ugly is pretty" and that character is what really makes for a great piece of wood.  I'm partial to salvaged pieces like this cherry that was left in the wood to rot.



  

  

  

 

Wowee Zowie, I really like that one.... smiley_clapping smiley_bouncing_pinky smiley_blue_bounce _grin

[Jeff]

One of the prettiest things we  have here, was created from some wood that I sawed that was destined to be a pallet years ago. I noticed it long enough to take a couple photos, but member Brian Bailey saw way more in it than I did at first.  Here is a photo of what it ended up being, and a link to the topic about its creation.

She's got some fine figure!
Bragging on Brian.

[mesquite buckeye]

One of the prettiest things we  have here, was created from some wood that I sawed that was destined to be a pallet years ago. I noticed it long enough to take a couple photos, but member Brian Bailey saw way more in it than I did at first.  Here is a photo of what it ended up being, and a link to the topic about its creation.

She's got some fine figure!
Bragging on Brian.

Neat

[pineywoods]

Prettiest to look at, I'd have to say chinaberry, but the stuff is almost useless to use for anything. Brittle, splits, stringy, the alternate layers are hard, then soft, making it difficult to get a decent finish. The logs are usually hollow or rotten in the center.


 



 

[Bogue Chitto]

  Sinker cypress.

[Magicman]

This Sinker Cypress crotch has to be my all time favorite.


 


  

[hackberry jake]

The prettiest I've seen was probably rosewood burl knife handles, but I didn't saw it. The prettiest I've sawn would probably have to go to dogwood or curly white oak.

[mesquite buckeye]

This Sinker Cypress crotch has to be my all time favorite.


 


 

super nice smiley_blue_bounce

[mesquite buckeye]

Prettiest to look at, I'd have to say chinaberry, but the stuff is almost useless to use for anything. Brittle, splits, stringy, the alternate layers are hard, then soft, making it difficult to get a decent finish. The logs are usually hollow or rotten in the center.


 



 

Superficially reminds me of older honey locust, but honey locust, though a little splitty, works up just fine.

[Bogue Chitto]

That's nice MM.

[5quarter]

beenthere...try telling any woman that she is pulchritudinous and see what happens... ;)

[dboyt]

So far, the two cypress boards get my vote.  Never seen anything like either one of 'em!

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I have looked and looked at the pic of the clock Jeff posted. The clock Brian made.

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I have seen character in wood that reminds me of different things.
The character spots on the door reminds me of a blown up x-ray of an artery going to a heart. The spots look like blood cells flowing.
Very unique.

[Woodey]

I like quarter sawed sycamore and white oak. ;D

[Magicman]

So far, the two cypress boards get my vote. 

Actually that is two pictures of the same cut.  Each pass was completely different, but that one was by far the most dramatic.

[pasbuild]

nice

[caveman]

The boards in this table were given to my mother by a friend.  She got JMoore to build this table.  I believe the wood is from a live oak that came down during one of the three hurricanes we had in 2004.  He also made a clock and I built a small knife box out of some of the scraps.
Caveman

 

[mesquite buckeye]

wow ;D ;D

[captain_crunch]

Don't have any pics but Western Yew is neet if it dont have heart rot but It will not stay put bends and bows with weather

[Norm]

I guess it depends but for me, as it's what we have locally, my favorite would be black cherry with q-sawn burr oak a close 2nd.

[Magicman]

 

 
Cherry can be very pretty.


 
And then there is always Sycamore.

[Norm]

That black cherry is beautiful Lynn!

[WDH]

Wow, curly live oak!

[rooster 58]

    Magicman that's an awesome stick 'o cherry there. I'm gonna have a hard time letting wood like that leaving my yard ;D I'm a wood junkie for sure, not sure how I got the bug but i've been addicted since I was a boy. Dad tried to keep me away from the axe when we were clearing land around the house. I was 8 yrs. old at the time. Whenever he wasn't lookin' I'd grab that axe. He finally got tired of yellin and let me go :laugh:

[Magicman]

I only custom saw, so that was a customer's log.


 

[rooster 58]

    That is still beautiful stuff. I'm in the heart of black cherry country, but most of that is too perfect and doesn't display the character like that. I prefer the cherry from "farm country", which yields what i believe to be the most beautiful, rustic style cherry with the different hues and character

[Dodgy Loner]

My favorites have been crotch walnut and a big, burled, curly cherrylaurel. I took some pics of the cherrylaurel but never uploaded them :(  I expected some "excitement" when drying so I sawed it 5/4, but I should have sawed it to 6/4 :. Saving it for a special project.

[Magicman]

 

 
Some crotch Walnut that I sawed for Dodgy Loner.

[mesquite buckeye]

Showoff.                smiley_airfreshener food2 smiley_deadheaders_buddy smiley_sick

Just kidding. I am green with envy......... 8) 8) 8) ;D


Super nice stuff...

How long have you been cutting such cool stuff?

[Magicman]

If that was directed at me.....Thank You.  I have just begun my 12th year of custom sawing.  Sadly, there are very few pictures from the first about 7-8 years of sawing.

[hackberry jake]

Sometimes what the sawyer sees and what the customer sees are completely different. This



 

Doesn't look very brightly colored anymore.

Here is some of that curly white oak, It looks much better in person.



 

[mesquite buckeye]

If that was directed at me.....Thank You.  I have just begun my 12th year of custom sawing.  Sadly, there are very few pictures from the first about 7-8 years of sawing.

It was. Keep up the good work.

[Norm]

One of the prettiest things we  have here, was created from some wood that I sawed that was destined to be a pallet years ago. I noticed it long enough to take a couple photos, but member Brian Bailey saw way more in it than I did at first.  Here is a photo of what it ended up being, and a link to the topic about its creation.

She's got some fine figure!
Bragging on Brian.

Brian is quite the craftsman, I was lucky enough to have him design and make a jewelry chest for Patty. Thanks for reminding me about him Jeff.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,6852.msg94821.html#msg94821

[hackberry jake]

Here is some pretty lumber. It's one of Magicman's favorites as well  ;D



 

[Magicman]

Looks like Sweetgum to me.   ;D

[mesquite buckeye]

Or maybe a dead elm. ;D

[Dodgy Loner]

 
Some crotch Walnut that I sawed for Dodgy Loner.

Yep, that's the stuff! Those boards are 12" wide and the crotch runs through 4' of length ;D

It wasn't supposed to be mine - I was having it sawn for a friend. But he told me to keep those boards, because he only wanted clear lumber. He said I could keep the knotty stuff if I wanted it

[hackberry jake]

Yep, spalted sweet gum. 

[j-dland]

Pecky Cypress.

  

  

  

 

[mesquite buckeye]

Even funk can be beautiful.

Very nice. ;D

[harrymontana]

I think this is very pretty lumber tigerwood for both decking and indoor flooring:

[mesquite buckeye]

I think this is very pretty lumber tigerwood for both decking and indoor flooring:

supernice...... 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) ;D

[harrymontana]

or just some ipe hardwood deck (including pretty surrounding too..)

[mesquite buckeye]

or just some ipe hardwood deck (including pretty surrounding too..)

How many different species to you cut down there?

Have a list? 8) 8) 8) 8) ;D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

This is the first time I have seen any Pecky Cypress put up and finished.
A very unique wood......beautiful.

[francismilker]

dead hickory or my ever favorite ERC get my vote!  I am really enjoying looking at the pics of differnt cherries and cypress though.

[harrymontana]

or just some ipe hardwood deck (including pretty surrounding too..)

How many different species to you cut down there?

Have a list? 8) 8) 8) 8) ;D

several but for export we mill
- ipe,
- massaranduba,
- tigerwood and
- cuchi

all for both decking and indoor flooring

[tcsmpsi]

Ahhh...so many species, limitless possibilities.   These are sure pretty to me, though.   ;D



 



 

[mesquite buckeye]

Ahhh...so many species, limitless possibilities.   These are sure pretty to me, though.   ;D



 



 

Super nice. Redcedar? ;D ;D

[pyrocasto]

Prettiest wood I've cut so far is apple. Got a 12" by 8ft apple tree that made some georgious lumber! Still waiting for the right project to use it on.

[tcsmpsi]

Ahhh...so many species, limitless possibilities.   These are sure pretty to me, though.   ;D



 



 

Super nice. Redcedar? ;D ;D

Yes sir.   

[mesquite buckeye]

Prettiest wood I've cut so far is apple. Got a 12" by 8ft apple tree that made some georgious lumber! Still waiting for the right project to use it on.

Some of that fruitwood is really nice. We cut up a small pear tree for firewood before I had a mill. When I split it, it was all fiddleback inside.

How about a photo of that apple???????

[Fla._Deadheader]

Not Apple but pretty to me.  First is Pecky Cypress Table Slabs, 36" wide at widest part and 7' long.

 

How about another one ?  This one is GuanaCaste, over 30" wide X 12' long.

 

[JMoore]

 

  Different picture of the same live oak table caveman posted but still the prettiest wood I've used!

[j-dland]

Yes kinda keen on cedar myself when not working cypress.

  

  

  

  

 

[mesquite buckeye]

Not Apple but pretty to me.  First is Pecky Cypress Table Slabs, 36" wide at widest part and 7' long.

 

How about another one ?  This one is GuanaCaste, over 30" wide X 12' long.

 

What are you doing in Costa Rica?  That guanacaste is super nice. Big tree to make that one. Do you know the scientific name???

[Fla._Deadheader]

I retired to down here and we planted a small plantation of native soft and hardwoods. I have a Peterson Swing Mill and building a Band Mill, among other things.

The GuanaCaste is at another sawmill that I visited one time.

The scientific name is Enterolobium Cyclocarpum.

[mesquite buckeye]

I retired to down here and we planted a small plantation of native soft and hardwoods. I have a Peterson Swing Mill and building a Band Mill, among other things.

The GuanaCaste is at another sawmill that I visited one time.

The scientific name is Enterolobium Cyclocarpum.

Very cool. How do you like it down there? I understand many American expatriates live there.

[Fla._Deadheader]

Been here over 7 years. Suits me just fine.

There are sections full of Americans and Europeans. I'm way out in the country, where just a handful live.

[j-dland]

Fla._Deadheader,You have been quite an inspiration to me ,Thank You for all your Input on the forum,that cypress you posted was awseme.Thats the kind of wood I like to work with , but I gotta admit it's really hard to Find.My first Pecky Cypress was thought to be junk.. Just luckily someone turned me on to enough info to let me know what I was dealing with.Under the power saw it felt like hollow wood, Almost left it to rot{float}.Now glad I didn"t.Learn a little every day when payin attenttion.Again thanks for your Input on The Forum.

[Fla._Deadheader]

Just glad that I helped someone. Thanks for the kind words.

When I first came here, I had Big Circle Saw 'sperense. We were diving for logs and being taken for a ride by the mill we were selling to.

I decided to build a Big Woodmizer, and got negative and positive input. Took a lot of ribbing, especially with the nice paint job.

It all worked out in the end, and, I'm just trying to put back what I gleaned from the good folks here.

[LeeB]

I wouldn't say this was the prettiestbecause I've sawn a lot ofpretty wood, but this sure ranksup there with the best of them. This came from a 4 foot long peice of logthat has been laying on a gravel bar in the creek for a long while. I picked it up today and figured what the heck, either spault or rot. Looks like I got lucky.

  

  

 

[Okrafarmer]

Is there a word for the bright color and splendor the sawyer sees when he first peels away the slab or board? You know what I mean. That vibrant color that goes away in a few minutes, almost no matter what species you are dealing with. Oxidation, or sunlight, or drying out, or whatever, changes the color almost instantly. For instance, black locust that looks like rich chocolate walnut for the first minute or so, and then turns zinc chromate yellow. Walnuts that are rainbow colored inside, then tone down to the chocolate color. Maple and pecan that shine like lip gloss and then tone down to a duller shade. Cherry that glows bright pink, then fades to a more subdued tone. What do we call that phenomenon?  ???

I call it the "initial blush."

You take the log by surprise, and it wasn't ready to reveal its secrets. It instantly blushes, then rearranges its colors to a more defensive stance, where it isn't drawing so much attention. Only the sawyer and anyone else helping or watching gets to see this happen. Everyone else buys the lumber later, and just sees lumber.

[LeeB]

Been snorting sawdust again? :D

[Okrafarmer]

Been snorting sawdust again? :D

Err-- not intentionally, but I did mill locust yesterday. . . .

[mesquite buckeye]

I wouldn't say this was the prettiestbecause I've sawn a lot ofpretty wood, but this sure ranksup there with the best of them. This came from a 4 foot long peice of logthat has been laying on a gravel bar in the creek for a long while. I picked it up today and figured what the heck, either spault or rot. Looks like I got lucky.

  

  

 

Do you know what it is? ???

[mesquite buckeye]

Is there a word for the bright color and splendor the sawyer sees when he first peels away the slab or board? You know what I mean. That vibrant color that goes away in a few minutes, almost no matter what species you are dealing with. Oxidation, or sunlight, or drying out, or whatever, changes the color almost instantly. For instance, black locust that looks like rich chocolate walnut for the first minute or so, and then turns zinc chromate yellow. Walnuts that are rainbow colored inside, then tone down to the chocolate color. Maple and pecan that shine like lip gloss and then tone down to a duller shade. Cherry that glows bright pink, then fades to a more subdued tone. What do we call that phenomenon?  ???

I call it the "initial blush."

You take the log by surprise, and it wasn't ready to reveal its secrets. It instantly blushes, then rearranges its colors to a more defensive stance, where it isn't drawing so much attention. Only the sawyer and anyone else helping or watching gets to see this happen. Everyone else buys the lumber later, and just sees lumber.

Well put. That, and never knowing for sure what you will find inside keeps me cutting.

[LeeB]

Sycamore. Thanks for reminding me. I thought about it this morning and couldn't remember if I had put the species in the post.  :D

[mesquite buckeye]

Very nice. How squishy is it?????

;D 8) 8) 8)

[LeeB]

Surprisingly solid still. I really figured with it being in the creek bed for a year that I know of since I bought the place, that it would be total mush.

[Okrafarmer]

Here's some wormy spalted ambrosia sycamore. Shows some ray fleck, too.


 

[LeeB]

Mine didn't have any bug damage. I do have some ambrosia, spaulted pecan though.

[Norm]

That's a nice surprise Lee, I would have expected it to be soft also.