# Walnut, my new favorite wood



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

I don't have tremendous experience with to many varieties of different woods.

I started with Oak. I still love the finished grain. It can be a bit chippy.
Maple. I dearly love this wood. hard, knife edges out of the planer. subtle pretty grain.
Mahogany. Stinks and tastes bad. Sands and saws to a fine powder instead of sawdust that gets everywhere. Oils up nice though.

Black Walnut. I'm making a platform bed for my daughter. First apartment. She wanted Walnut. Expensive stuff but gotta love those daughters. hard to turn them down. I've begun working with and cutting walnut. A hard wood that is kind to an old table saw. Doesn't splinter or chip out in the planer or router table. Absolutely gorgeous color and grain. Doesn't stink or powder up the shop either. What a nice wood to work with.

I'll blog it's build a bit later. Just wanted to write about my new favorite wood. Nothing much more.


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## nwbusa (Feb 21, 2012)

Yep, walnut is nice stuff. My favorite domestic.


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

Oh yeah, it is great…good luck on the project.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

I like it as a secondary wood. personally I don't like too much of it though :/ it does have nice grain though.

love mahogany


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## WDHLT15 (Aug 15, 2011)

Walnut is like Elvis. It is the King.


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

Walnut is a really nice wood to work with and produces an absolutely great finish. The main problem i have is that there are so many fantastic woods in the world (and some not-so-fantastic Ones) and I have made it my goal to try and make something out of each and every type before i go belly up.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Walnut is a pleasure to hand plane as well. I just started working with it and I appreciate 
the properties of walnut also. Here's the latest cutting board made out of walnut & maple.










Looking forward to your walnut platform bed for your daughter COL (craftsman on the lake)


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

hey there dan, your making me smile , because i kinda came onto walnut the same way, i had my heart pine and oak i had used for some time, then just like going into a coffee shop and they give you something besides a regular cup of joe, they give you a latte…and man , even though i dont drink it now, about 15 years ago i tried one…a latte…and it was like..man…..this is way better then regular coffee…and walnut is like this, its way better then heart pine and oak…and now its one of my favorites…....and i wish you all the fun in the world , in getting to know your new favorite wood…..enjoy it….bob


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

A new convert. Suck up to the price difference and remake everything that you've ever made with walnut and you will still be joyous.

I just dug out of an outside pile some 4 X 4's of walnut. Joy, Joy


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## KenFitz (May 21, 2007)

My first kitchen cabinets were made of walnut. I was living in NC while in the Navy, back in the 70's. Bought 1000 BF for 1.00 a bf. What a steal. Still have some scraps. My all time favorite.

Just recently (last three years) been working with some butternut a cousin of walnut. Same grain pattern but much lighter color. Works the same. The first guy I bought it from said it was "white walnut". No matter it's great to work so now I have dark and light "walnut". Who knew.

Ken


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## MonteCristo (May 29, 2012)

I'm a walnut fan too. You often see it mentioned that it's not the best in any particular way (hardness, shrinkage . . .) but it's pretty good in almost any way you look at it. A good overall performer. Smells good too !


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## sandhill (Aug 28, 2007)

I agree I made an end table years ago and wrote about it here. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/2912


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## SnowyRiver (Nov 14, 2008)

I like walnut too. I made a blanket chest not too long ago out of black walnut and it was great wood to work with. I have also used Peruvian walnut. I like the smell of the Peruvian walnut…its got such a sweet smell to it you feel like taking a bite out of it


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

Walnut is a great wood, but be careful of allergies. It can cause respiratory issues in some people. That said, I use it in cutting boards without any issues thus far.


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## crashn (Aug 26, 2011)

I love walnut also! Just don't like to have my nuts on the wall


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## Alongiron (Jan 10, 2011)

I am a QSWO woodworker but Walnut makes my shop smell really good!


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