Aromatic red cedar
The wood itself is straight grained, but the lumber is usually knotty, so irregular grain is often present.
Peter Mac Sween
Peter's woodworking journey began with a career in carpentry followed by a decade buying and selling veneer. His spare time is spent abusing his guitars and exploring the great outdoors.
Articles by Peter Mac Sween
Australian lacewood
With such a distinct figure, lacewood is used for numerous decorative and ornamental objects. It is also in demand as a veneer for interior panelling and furniture.
Yellow cedar
Yellow Cedar has a multitude of uses. It is a joy to work by hand or machine.
Bamboo
Bamboo is considered a renewable resource, important in this age of dwindling resources. While bamboo itself is inexpensive, most of the manufactured products can be expensive due to the amount of processing required.
Ambrosia maple
Ambrosia Maple is not a species of maple, rather it is a term that describes a distinctive figure common to soft maples produced by a beetle and a fungus. The overall look is unique; some woodworkers will like it, others may not.
Peruvian walnut
The primary appeal for woodworkers who like to work with the walnuts is Peruvian Walnut's consistent colour and the fact that knot free boards up to 14 inches wide are available.
African walnut
African Walnut, similar to Black Walnut in strength and hardness, is an ideal choice for furniture, cabinetry and turned objects.
Iroko
Iroko is a magnificent tree found growing in tropical Africa. Many woodworkers are familiar with it as a substitute for genuine Teak (Tectona grandis).
Softwoods: Structure and Growth Rings
Softwoods have been common in less formal furniture for centuries, and are often great for hidden structural components. Learn more about this wood and how you can best use it to your advantage when in the shop.
Tamarack
Tamarack may be a softwood but this tree is plenty tough.
Karelian birch
Its appearance is hard to describe given that it’s unique to this species - I like to describe it as a sea of dark lined ‘sugar pops’ swimming on a lustrous undulating white background.
Spalted maple
Spalted Maple is not a species of maple. Spalting is a term that refers to the process of decay performed by fungi who earn their living by breaking down and consuming dead wood - but what a process it is!
Wenge
Wenge is one of the most popular of the imported exotic hardwoods. With most hardwoods being light in colour, Wenge is renowned for its rich dark brown heartwood.
Cedar of Lebanon
The pleasant odour tells us that this specie is a biological chemical factory producing chemicals that inhibit insect attack and decay, making it ideal for shelter construction and shipbuilding.
Ebony
The Greek name for ebony is Diospyros meaning 'fruit of the gods' and this wood is famous for its dark beauty and opulence. Dark woods are rare and many indigenous cultures appreciated the significance of such a unique plant.
Purpleheart
If you’re looking to add some colour to your next project, then consider Purpleheart. It ages to a lovely deep purplish brown.
Heartwood and Sapwood
When viewing a cross section of a tree, two coloured circular sections of solid wood are visible. Learn why the tree grew like it did, and how it affects our approach as woodworkers.
Honduran rosewood
There can be no doubt that the Rosewoods are the most valued, most sought after and the most revered of the woods available to the woodworker.
Wood Science: An Introduction
We all know wood is a beautiful material that can be machined, joined, smoothed and finished, but many woodworkers never think of wood in a more scientific way. Let’s take a look at where wood comes from, and why it has certain characteristics.
Canarywood
Eye-catching is the best description for Canarywood. The heartwood colouration may vary, but it is always dramatic.
Tamo ash
Tamo is a specific term that describes the stunning three-dimensional figure that can appear, very rarely, in some trees of Fraxinus mandshurica also called Japanese Ash.
Black locust
Black Locust is a ring porous wood with large early wood cells and distinct growth rings. The heartwood is a yellowish green to a dark brown and will darken with age.Â
Paulownia
Paulownia is endemic to Southeast Asia and is a widely used and well-regarded hardwood.Â
Black ash
The sapwood is usually a dull white, not the brilliant white found in White Ash. The heartwood is brown and can vary in size dependent on how fast the tree grows.Â
