Wood Choice Question

[kenreich]

What is your choice of wood for most of the projects you create?  When it calls for 1/2", 1/4" or 1/8" wood for instance?  Most of the work I've done is out of 3/4" pine or 1/4" oak or mahogany plywood.  Just curious what longtimers have found to work best.

Thanks,
Ken

[Toneman]

Ken, I use 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood and I order it from Ocooch and pay shipping. I just cannot find decent wood at local hardware and lumber stores. The plywood is stronger and will not splinter like pine and it is easier to cut. I have found the poplar and pine tends to break when cutting small fret patterns

Tony,aka,Toneman

[Rapid Roger]

That is kind of a loaded question. It all depends on what your making, what is your favorite wood, and experience will help more than anything.
I have made things out of 1/8" plywood, 1/4 & 1/2 cherry and purple heart even 1-1/2 walnut.
There are just so many things that can be done on a scroll saw that the sky is the limit. You won't have an answer to that question until you try it twice. 

Rog

[Becky]

I'm not a big fan of plywood because you can see the layers on the edges.  I have dabbled with a number of exotic woods but that can get expensive.  I am at the point where I make most of my projects out of poplar, maple, cherry and walnut.  They look good and they are less expensive.  I've tried oak too but it is a bit harder to cut because of the blade wanting to follow the grain.  Oh, and I will use chunks of pine now and then when that makes sense (it doesn't look quite as nice, IMO, but is fine for things like word art).

[troy_curtis]

For half in wood, I dont like the Baltic Birch Ply, so I go for the soft maple. I can buy soft maple 1/2 in for about $4 a board foot. It looks nice and cost is decent. For thinner projects I use the BB. I also love to use the Tropical Walnut for backing if I need a good contrast. If it is a less expensive project I will use the BB stained dark or painted black.

[jrpeteo]

For making portrait type things, you can't beat 1/8" Baltic Birch, stack cut. Dollar store frame.
Pete

[Billy in Va]

Pete

I agree, except for the dollar store frames,  They are too expensive  I find mine at yard sales.  Usually talk the down to a nickle.

[Dave W]

Probably my all 'round favorite is Poplar.  It is consistent, and I can get it most anywhere (i.e. HD and Lowes).  The aforementioned stores even have it in convenient selections of 1/4", which is the vast majority of what I use in projects.  The color can be a bit inconsistant at times, but when you get a pure piece, I think it is very beautiful.  I am even tunrning poplar pens now and love the way they look.

For thicker stuff, I really enjoy working with walnut, ash, and especially cherry.