luispeter Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 Hey guys I've been really really wanting to get into & learn wood working ...like tables, cabinets, that kind of stuff. I have the majority of the tools, Craig jigs, nice work benches, clamps, table saw, etc. I'm just not sure what is the best kind/type of wood I should be buying to learn to make things like a coffee table or end table. I am really into the reconditioned wood look but I figured normal wood would be better to learn with... I also really want to learn how to build a tabletop with multiple strands. I see guys pocket hole & glue or wood dowel etc. just trying to get advice to get started Here is some I saw I liked and want to learn eventually: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric - TIA Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 That is a cool looking table. My first table I did was a mission style table with oak. I would just jump in and built with whatever wood you really want the final piece to be. Just have some scrap around because if you are nervous about a pocket hole or another aspect of the building process, just practice on some scrap. I would just take your time and have fun with it. The one thing I learned with reconditioned wood is understand what finish you want before hand. I built a Mantle, shelves and more for my house. I took a ton of time building everything. I used old cedar because I loved the way it looked when it was weathered, it has a cool looking gray. However I never thought ahead of time that I would need to finish it because people would set drinks etc on it. When I went to finish it, it was a real pain because it made the wood dark and took away the gray look. I finally found a guy by me who could seal it with a certain chemical and didn't take took much of the gray away. Other than that, have some fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jronman Posted August 22, 2020 Report Share Posted August 22, 2020 A low cost hardwood available in your area is probably the way to go. Oak is common in my area. Poplar is another common one. You could even use framing lumber except it might take more machining and would be much softer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James kelly Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 How about mahogany? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beatrice_mom Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 When my husband learned to work with wood, he took maple and poplar. From these types of wood, we got bookshelves, benches under our feet. All these products are intact and fulfill their function. Now my husband works a lot with oak, and sometimes with rare tree species. At his leisure, he makes furniture to order. No clients have complained yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wester Brad Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 Pine & cedar are some of the best woods you can buy to get started with your wood work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew123 Posted September 23, 2021 Report Share Posted September 23, 2021 It's best to buy the least expensive and easy to work with woods , like soft maple, poplar, pine and fir. I used to work with soft maple when I was a beginner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRubio Posted June 12, 2022 Report Share Posted June 12, 2022 Keep an eye on FB Marketplace. I regularly pick up free hardwood cutoffs and lumber useful for repurpose builds. You’d be surprised what woodworkers consider “cutoffs”. I can easily pick up 100’s of dollars worth of usable hardwood from one person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christeena Posted July 20, 2022 Report Share Posted July 20, 2022 if anyone iss beginning woodworking and expecting to make mistakes, best is to choose some of the least expensive woods, like soft maple, poplar, pine and fir. and select wood identified above that is easy to work with and won't wear down your tools quickly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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