Wood smells. (Nothing serious just some fun)

[carvendive]

Another thread was discussing carving applewood and got me thinking... There are lots of woods out there and a lot of them smell really great. So, I'd like to share my BEST STINKERS and hear from others what their favorites are.

Best Smelling:
I once turned a 12"x12"x5' Clear Cedar heart for a spire. My shop smelled so good both my wife and I didn't want to leave.

I also turn Lignum vitae carving mallets. I can see why Cuba has great cigars. It's got to be something in their soil. While you are turning it, the shop takes on the aroma of a really great smelling cigar. I like it so much that I bagged a bunch of the shavings and use it as a po-pur-ee from time to time in the shop.

Worst Smelling:
Red Oak. One day after turning some the shop started to take on an odor that had me blaming the dog for doing it's business is a yet to be discovered location. After cleaning out the shop and finding nothing I decided to cut some more red oak. Sure enough, the particular batch smelled of uren. I've cut lots of other batches of Red Oak but this one was really smelly.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

white fir smells the same lol, in fact they call it p-$$ fir! ....terrible smell!!

[dnstehly]

In addition to cedar, some of my favorites are fresh cut birch and sassafras. I've carved in camphor wood which is also pleasant smelling but really has a strong odor. The worst smelling wood I have encountered is leather leaf viburnium. It smells like wet dog when being worked.

[Dan Wegiel]

I agree with David on the sassafras for a clean fresh smell, and the worst I've ever cut is Black Locust that is still green.

Dan

[Keoma]

Amen on the Locust! I thought the same thing! Cat Pee!

The best smelling for me is Nutmeg It smells like Christmas in mmy shop whenever I work it.

I just love the smell of oak...not the dog pe kind ...but Mine. Some Valley oaks...it just smells like home!

The one that takes my breath away is Bay, or Pepperwood. It gets some awesome burls and really wierd textures to it but your nose burns almost instantly and your breath catches in your throat. It's worth it.

The one smell I caNOT handle is Black Walnut. YOOOOWeeee! As soon as I smell it I say S*#T! To late! I will be sick tomorrow! Sure thing...the hangy thing in the back of my throat swells up. Makes me glad I still have tonsils.
Great thread.

[Cottonwood]

My favorite is Pinion Pine. I describe it as a happy smell!

[brian-bailey]

Stinkiest - Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) Major Phewwww!

Sassafras - the nicest smelling wood that I have worked with.

[markken5889]

my favorite - butternut

stinkiest - zebrawood (smells like fresh vomit!)

Mark

[oldbearx2]

I agree with the black locust smelling bad, I tired to power carve some once and it smelled like green grass burning, manure and a few other things I could not identify. Favorite though is red cedar with butternut, with walnut a close second.

Have fun carve

Harold

[AlArchie]

I don't know what the difference is but some elm really stinks! It's called **** elm around here and it really does smell like the cat took a vacation on iot!

Northern white cedar and oak smell really nice but put me in respiratory distress! Same with arbor vitae (a type of cyprus). The ornamental arbor vitae is an oriental import, but the white cedar is also known colloquially as "northern arbor vitae".

Al