Post #69417 by Basement Kahuna on Tue, Jan 13, 2004 9:08 PM

I am lucky to have a good local yokel sawmill, so I didn't really count to answer that question (kind of like I'm cheating, but hey, it's there!)that's where I get all of that pretty black walnut and cherry. The hack-job first flat Maori panel I did (one of my earlier attempts)was cherry, and actually the nicer bigger one is poplar that I put a pre-stain on after completion and it made the finish a nice color and quite old looking (my goal always). Poplar is pretty much the mockingbird of woods, it can imitate anything. Sawmill lumber has to be dried laying flat or wide boards will want to 'cuff", or warp. But if you can find one in your backyard with old-growth hardwoods, then by all means! All in all you are better off ordering it like master Ben said. You get no unpleasant surprises that way.