The odors of woodworking...

[Brian McDermaid]

I love walking into the garage after I've finished a project. dust on the cars.. wood scraps laying around.. but most of all the smell of fresh cut lumber.

But now that I've sunk into the world of turning I've found a new smell... SHELLAWAX!!

I can't get enough of that stuff... it just smells soooo dang GOOD!

My wife thinks im nuts! I keep picking up things i've just turned and smell them (over, and over, and over again).

I think i need professional help.

~brian

PS. I tried to break my addiction with Huts Crystal Coat but it had to much hint of banana for my tastes.

[Dennis Peacock]

Brian,

My wife has learned the various finish smells from me coming in from the shop with them on my clothes and hands. Not too long ago, I walked in the kitchen where she was and the first words out of her mouth was "what have you been putting boiled linseed oil on?" :eek:
Oh honey....I'll never tell...it's a secret ya know. :rolleyes: :D

[Steve Schlumpf]

Yup - kinda got to liking DNA myself!

[Dewey Torres]

Brian,
You do need help but only because you are referring to your shop as a garage. We will have to work on that!

[curtis rosche]

dont forget the smell of tulip poplar or the smell of bacote. or the smell of waterlox

[Prashun Patel]

The smell of cut lumber to me is like the smell of donuts to Homer Simpson.

[Bob Hallowell]

Spray on lacquer... hicup;)

[Burt Alcantara]

I cut a few blanks from fresh elm, or that was what the trimmer said it was. As the bandsaw went thru it I got a strong smell of popcorn. Strange wood. The cuts are smooth as glass.

I have an older piece of American Elm cut from a large tree. That one smells like a barn that needs an airing.

Burt

[curtis rosche]

bacote smells like pickles and vinegar.

[Brian Brown]

Brian,

Personally I don't think you need professional help. Anyone who thinks you do may be well advised to seek some help themselves. However, if you feel you absolutely must cure your sniffing habit, check this out. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=69510 Some of these woods would cure your "huffing" habit quickly.

[Paul Engle]

My favorite other than pine is Elm. I do a lot of pine burls ( from tree limbs) and just really like the smell in the shop, I have burned so much warped oak on my ts over 20 yrs it stinkith pretty good . I just got a piece of Mango burl from a veteran in Hawawii but have not had time to turn it yet ... here's hoping for a new " odor " .:D

[Aaron Wingert]

Call me crazy, but I like the smell of Cocobolo. Granted it gets me wheezing, sneezing and coughing.

We used to have a couple dozen bee hives, and it smells just like the beeswax did on the frames as it was uncapped for the removal of the honey.

[Brian McDermaid]

Brian,
You do need help but only because you are referring to your shop as a garage. We will have to work on that!

I stand corrected... i should have said "The smells of my shop waft into my garage" :)

[Brian McDermaid]

In order of favorite:

1) Shellawax hot off the lathe
2) Pine
3) Walnut
4) Cocobolo

least favorite:
Chakte Kok (burns my eyes)

Note: I always wear a respirator and use a dust collection system. I am in no way endorsing the smelling (or licking) of items finished with the sweet nectar of the gods called Shellawax.


~Brian

[Dave Ogren]

Brian and Dewey,
It is not garage or shop. It is "Studio". Then that begs for the answer:
"1 car or 2 car"
Keep up the good work, Thanks for the great forum.

[Roger Wilson]

I can't get enough of that stuff... it just smells soooo dang GOOD!


I just love the smell of napalm in the morning !!! .....oh wrong thread.......

[Jim Kountz]

Oh man Im with you here, Shellewax is really nice smelling stuff, I also like Behlens turners finish.

[curtis rosche]

even better smell......... apple after being soaked in alcohol. the saw dust from it doesnt taste to bad either:rolleyes::rolleyes::p especialy for getting $5

[Bernie Weishapl]

Or the smell of Elm.:eek:

[GLENN THOMAS]

Every time I come in the house after turning cedar my wife tell me I stink like a giant gerble. For some reason she doesnt like gerbles. She must have had a bad childhood experience with the little critters, Im afraid to ask. How can you not like the smell of cedar ?

GT

[Scott Conners]

Carnuba has a wonderful warm smell, I love buffing with it (even if I don't like the way it marks up). I recently was cutting some Ipe I got off a jobsite, and man did it STINK! I had to stop and clean the shop because I was literally checking my shoes to see if I'd stepped in dog droppings. The smell of fresh cut doug fir brings me back to childhood on the jobsite with my dad though =)

[Maylon Harvey]

Ash smells like popcorn to me when turning.
Yes Steve I've also developed a liking for the smell of DNA. And then lacquer has to be near the top of the list also walnut.

[Mike Lipke]

Why I was surprised surprises me, but olive wood smells just like green olives. And the olive oil in the wood makes it really nice to turn. Lubes the gouge.

[Prashun Patel]

Ever smell sassafras? Wish it grew big enough to work with.

[Norm Zax]

Cypress! I cant get the smell out of my pores for hours. Some people are sensitive to this wood. In any case, the odor is really strong and omni-present.

[Rob Luter]

How about the smell after the bowl comes loose from the chuck and skitters across the floor :eek:. At least that keeps the riff-raff out of the shop.

[Ed Thomas]

Not woodworking odors but ... I've been helping with some renos in a shop which custom grinds & blends specialty spices and flours (from India). Go home smelling like dinner.

[Daniel Thompson]

Try turning a bowl from a big block of camphor wood sometime. That has got to be one of the strongest smelling woods I know of. It isn't unpleasant or anything but it can be intense.