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The Wood Database is a great online reference tool, so links to that site are added where relevant. Images of the wood on this site are courtesy of Eric Meier at The Wood Database. As a side note, Eric has created a poster showing the woods in a form that is really nicely done. I have one in my shop and reference it often.
Eric posted a list of the Top Ten Hardest Woods. I'd bet any of the woods on this list (except Snakewood) would work well.
Finishing: Most ornamental turning pieces are not finished. If you choose to finish your work :
That last bullet is very important : My experience with trying to finish a very hard wood with shellac was a super fail, as was lacquer. One product I like using is Tried & True's Original Wood Finish. I don't burnish with steel wool as I don't want to mess up the sharpness of the details, but a cloth works well. |
Prototyping: Many woods used in ornamental turning are very expensive. If you use one of those, particularly if you want to make something you've never made, I recommend making a prototype using another, less expensive wood (e.g., Ash or Maple). This enables you to:
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Materials Overview: Bonnie Klein gave this presentation on about various materials she uses. She gave this presentation at the 2018 Ornamental Turners International Symposium. |
Using Multiple Materials: Bill Ooms gave this presentation on using multiple materials in the egg he made which is similar to a Faberge egg. The egg is made from African Blackwood, Maple, Brown Ivory wood, and sterling silver. |