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Common Name: |
Elm, White
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| Botanical Name: |
Ulmus americana |
| Other Names: |
American, Water, and Swamp elm. |
| Species distribution: |
- |
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Natural Characteristics:
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Very easy to bend, prone to warping.
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| Workability: |
Good  . |
| Finishing Qualities: |
Good . |
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Durability:
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Good . |
| Comments: |
White elm is very rare and has almost been wiped out
by Dutch Elm disease. |
| Uses: |
Furniture, boat building, veneer.
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Price:
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Inexpensive (Price is increasing due to scarcity)
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Common Name: |
Hickory |
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| Botanical Name: |
Carya spp. |
| Other Names: |
Red, White Hickory. |
| Species distribution: |
- |
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| Natural Characteristics: |
Coarse texture, grain is relatively straight.
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| Workability: |
Poor  . Use very sharp
blades. Bends well. |
| Finishing Qualities: |
Good . |
| Durability: |
Good . |
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Uses:
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Cabinetry, tool handles, sports equipment.
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| Comments: |
Shavings are often used for smoking meat. |
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Price:
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Inexpensive
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Common Name: |
Holly |
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| Botanical Name: |
ilex spp. |
| Other Names: |
White Holly |
| Species distribution: |
- |
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| Natural Characteristics: |
The sapwood of Holly is white and the heartwood is an ivory white
with a bluish cast or streaks. It has no characteristic odor or taste and is heavy,
hard, close grained and tough, with a low luster like ivory.Irregular, tight,
almost invisible grain. |
| Workability:
| Poor . It is difficult
to work, but takes a high polish. It glues and screws well, but drilling should
be done slowly. It takes a stain well, and can be ebonized. |
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Finishing Qualities:
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Excellent  |
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Durability:
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Holly is susceptible to fungal attack
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Stability:
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Excellent |
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Comments:
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Can be ebonized
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| Uses: |
Inlay, decorative veneer, instrument making.Furniture (inlay),
keys for musical instruments (ebonized), scientific instruments, fixtures, brush
backs, carvings, scrollwork, engravings, handles, turnery & novelties. |
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Price:
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Expensive
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Common Name: |
Honduras Mahogany
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| Botanical Name: |
Swietenia macrophylla |
| Other Names: |
South American Mahogany, Caoba, Acajou, |
| Species distribution: |
Scattered areas throughout central and South America including
some Caribbean islands. |
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Wood
Characteristics:
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Straight grain with a fine even texture. Honduras Mahogany
is relatively free of voids and pockets.
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| Workability: |
Excellent! Honduras
mahogany is one of the best woods for machining, cutting, and planing. Tools should
be kept sharp, and a low angle should be used when planing Mahogany with a wavy
grain pattern. Honduras Mahogany can be sanded very easily and efficiently. Routered
edges are crisp and sharp. Honduras Mahogany also turns well on a lathe. |
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Finishing Qualities:
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Excellent!
Honduras Mahogany readily accepts a wide range of common stains and finish.. |
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Durability:
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Very Good!  The
wood is strong and dense. It will dent with a sharp hit from a solid blunt object.
Slightly less durability than Red Oak. For outdoor applications such as patio
furniture and wooden boats this boat is an excellent choice for its combination
of strength and rot resistant properties. The popular Chris Craft wooden boats
were built from mahogany until the early 1960 when it was replaced by fiberglass. |
| Stability: |
Excellent in kiln dried lumber. |
| Comments: |
Honduras Mahogany has become a valuable cash crop for many South
American countries. Plantation farming is working to supply the demand for this
versatile lumber. Many other species, such as Lauan, are marketed as "Mahogany",
however they often come from other wood families. |
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Uses:
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Fine furniture, cabinet making, plywood, turning, boat building,
outdoor furniture. |
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Price:
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Moderate
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Common Name: |
Kingwood
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| Botanical Name: |
Dalbergia cearensis |
| Other Names: |
Violetwood
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| Species distribution: |
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Natural Characteristics:
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Very hard, moderately difficult to cut.
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Workability:
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Good
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Finishing Qualities:
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Good |
| Durability: |
Excellent |
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Comments:
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Kingwood was used in fine furniture but now its cost makes
it prohibitive for this application. Kingwood is an endangered species.
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Uses:
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Turnings, veneer, inlay, marquetry.
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Price:
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Very expensive
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