[Ky_Whittler]

These species are used for spoons in my area as well as yellow poplar and sasafras. I split my blanks from all these species. Green maple will carve like butter and will be ready for finish and oil within a week.

If you can find a hard wood dealer in the area, ask for yellow poplar. It carves well even kiln dried. It should be available in one inch or two inch boards. Whitler.

[brian bailey]

S2S- means surfaced 2 sides

S4S- means surfaced 4 sides

1/8- means 1/8 inch thick

Hardwoods sold in the rough go by the quarter scale.

4/4- means 1" thick

5/4- means 1 1/4"

6/4- means 1 1/2"

8/4- means 2"

16/4- means 4"

Most sawmills saw about 1/8" over target so the 4/4 will be about 1 1/8" thick off the mill, etc.,etc.

Here's a link that has many wood suppliers.

http://www.woodfinder.com/

[Mitchell]

Sorry, I missed the "food safe" part of your post....

Try this link about wood toxicity:

http://www.thewoodbox.com/data/wood/toxicityinfo.htm

There are LOTS of sites that discuss food safe finishes that can be easily found on the net.

[hermit@heart]

Thanks, Diamond Willow. Looks like I just missed a sale at Slim's but I'm going to give him a call. Maybe theres something left over.

Thanks for the primer on sizing, Brian. I had done some googling for lumber definitions but what I found was a bit complicated for me. What you described was exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!

I really appreciate the time everyone took to help me out. Maybe some day I'll have something to contribute, too.
Thanks,
hermit@heart