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MindPilot

(12,693 posts)

4. I have book called "What Wood is That?"

Thu Mar 28, 2013, 10:55 AM

Mar 2013

It was a textbook for HS woodshop in the 60s. It has a large fold-out with a couple hundred sample chips of actual veneers. When I take it out today, it is astonishing how many woods that used to be commonplace simply aren't available anymore.

I'm a big fan of recovered lumber, harvesting wood from sunken logs, old buildings etc. Interesting bit of carpenter trivia: In George Lucas' house, most of the finish woodwork was done with wood reclaimed from an old railroad trestle bridge.

Bamboo is one of the best renewable woods around, and if industrial hemp becomes available on a wide scale, we may never have to kill another tree. (that last part was hyperbole in case I needed to explain that)

A whole bunch of furniture and cabinets made today are from manufactured lumber, chipboard, plywood, MDF (Medium Density Fiber) and very thin veneers.

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45 replies

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Shopping for Furniture or Cabinets? Buy Only Items Made of Renewable Woods. [View all] MineralMan Mar 2013 OP

The Lorax thanks you from his heart LiberalEsto Mar 2013 #1

Another Possibility if You Must Have Exotic Wood MineralMan Mar 2013 #2

Buy vintage--better for the environment and adds geek tragedy Mar 2013 #3

Yes. I added a note to that effect just above your post. MineralMan Mar 2013 #5

Another great thing about vintage is that geek tragedy Mar 2013 #7

The funny thing is that you can often find a vintage piece MineralMan Mar 2013 #8

Yep. Generally superior workmanship and there's geek tragedy Mar 2013 #10

Yup. Sometimes those stamps or labels are hidden, too. MineralMan Mar 2013 #13

PLease share superpatriotman Mar 2013 #33

You're a collector? nt geek tragedy Mar 2013 #34

Let's say yes... superpatriotman Mar 2013 #36

Not a big name, geek tragedy Mar 2013 #37

Nice superpatriotman Mar 2013 #39

They don't make furniture like his new. geek tragedy Mar 2013 #41

Clearly superpatriotman Mar 2013 #43

I have book called "What Wood is That?" MindPilot Mar 2013 #4

I have a copy of that wood sample book. It's a favorite MineralMan Mar 2013 #6

I have a door I made with what I call RCR MindPilot Mar 2013 #9

Nice. I made my own front door at my California home MineralMan Mar 2013 #11

The front door of my house _looks_ like a giant slab of redwood. MindPilot Mar 2013 #16

We hear a lot about genetically modified food crops.. It would be cool if they could use... JVS Mar 2013 #12

Very unlikely to happen. MineralMan Mar 2013 #14

We just put down a new Sissyk Mar 2013 #15

Bamboo is great! Grows fast and is MineralMan Mar 2013 #17

It's a bit more expensive but Sissyk Mar 2013 #18

Good for you guys! Doing your own work MineralMan Mar 2013 #19

Yes, hubby has said Sissyk Mar 2013 #22

I may give concrete some more thought. MineralMan Mar 2013 #23

Go for it! Sissyk Mar 2013 #24

Most teak and mahogany is plantation-grown these days. jeff47 Mar 2013 #20

There are some serious issues with those plantations. MineralMan Mar 2013 #21

Plantation grown teak is readily available in the US Progressive dog Mar 2013 #25

... and flooring. nt patrice Mar 2013 #26

Yes. I included flooring in the body of my post, but not MineralMan Mar 2013 #27

Good! I have been looking at STRANDED bamboo, which is the hardest next to hard-woods & can be patrice Mar 2013 #30

I have friends who saw, kiln, and mill local hardwoods Mopar151 Mar 2013 #28

Nice. I like the design, too. MineralMan Mar 2013 #29

That IS beautiful. I guess they are also much more respectful towards their LOCAL resource too. nt patrice Mar 2013 #31

You can bring your own trees if you want! Mopar151 Mar 2013 #44

Very nice piece! Sissyk Mar 2013 #42

Whatever you do, don't buy from IKEA Orrex Mar 2013 #32

Love my new maple cabinets SoCalDem Mar 2013 #35

We just had our kitchen remodeled with natural maple cabinetry - beautiful! badtoworse Mar 2013 #38

I usually buy antique furniture csziggy Mar 2013 #40

Post removed Post removed Apr 2013 #45