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Favorite local wood to harvest

What woods have you personally harvested and then turned?

  • Total voters
    13
Aron Fast

Aron Fast

Joined
Jan 1, 2025
Messages
26
Likes
57
Location
Hesston, kansas
I've been thinking about local [Kansas] woods that I have harvested.

I probably left an important species off my list [the poll maxes out at 20] - but for me - honey locust is my favorite. Comment if you have a personal favorite or I have left an important species off of the poll.

I realize that so much of this is based on the geography of the persons who answer the poll, but I'm interested in the most common woods that people have personally harvested and turned.
 
I couldn't decide if I should check the oak box. (I didn't) I absolutely love white oak, but really dislike red oak. Cherry is plentiful in the orchards here, but the wild cherry is the stuff I really like. I would've checked beech, but didn't see it as I scanned the list too quickly.

A friend had his family property down the road me logged over the winter. They only took 20+ walnut trees, but seemed to be most interested in the straight trunks and left a bunch of tops, crotches, short/crooked pieces. I guess I get the rest of it for turning and firewood. Lucky me.
 

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Well, my favorite bowl wood is not on the list, and that is Pacific Madrone. I love how it warps. Being in Oregon, one has to turn myrtle/California Bay Laurel. I am lucky to have a friend who drops off logs in my driveway for me at a price I couldn't get them for otherwise. Can't turn walnut any more. I LOVE sycamore/London plane for quartersawn platters and plates. They can get huge here, like 36 inch diameter trunks. I do wish we had black cherry, a favorite when I can get it, which is almost never.... Honey locust is nice, but I grew up with the stuff that has huge thorns. There is a tame version of it and I like it when I can get it. I would turn more mesquite if I could get it....Lovely stuff.

robo hippy
 
I was surprised to be able to check 11 of those boxes. Of the options I really like Ash as my favorite open grain wood and Cherry for a closed grain. I'm currently work through 3 pickup truck loads of Silver and Hard Maple which I'm enjoying and only cost me the time and effort to get it home which is always nice.
 
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