What's your favorite wood species?
If could only work with one type of wood, what would it be?
A version of these two questions get thrown around a lot among woodworkers. In this episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, Logan, Dillon, and Phil answer instead with a category of wood species — softwoods. Pine, cedar, fir, spruce, redwood, cypress ... The list goes on. While it doesn't necessarily mean the wood is soft, the trees in this category have needles or leaves that don't drop annually.
These woods have a lot going for them in both their beauty and pleasure in working. Just like any material, there are some quirks as well. And who can resist the smell of fresh cut pine?
Speaking of softwood, Dillon is building a Roubo-style workbench with reclaimed Douglas fir. Right now, he's working on the mortises in the top that accept the legs.
For Woodsmith, he's designed this Federal-period chair.
Logan is working on a vise stand that orginally appeared in ShopNotes magazine. This is the second of a pair that will anchor a metalworking and sharpening station in his workshop ... still under reorganization.
Logan still has been sawing logs with his band saw mill. A large ash bole was too big for his mill. So he used a chain saw to break it down into turning blanks. Probably the best part of watching green bowls getting turned, is the long slurpy ribbons that are formed in the process.
Looks like everyone is getting a bowl for Christmas from the Wittmers.
