Split resistant wood

[Jim Eddy]

I've got a potential customer who wants some chairs with empire style cut curved legs. What wood would have the best resistance to splitting along the short grain areas?

[Bill White]

A jillion of 'em were made from mahagony.
Bill

[Mel Fulks]

I think the most important thing is that they have strechers,The legs can split,but it seems to me the trouble usually starts at the joint. While most of us think of strechers as a sign of quality, many of the most formal chairs in that period did not have them. That was a real fanciful period and they did come up with some of an unusually decorative type.Hundreds of variations in the reprinted design books.

[Frank Drew]

Bill's right about the popularity of Mahogany, and it's my all-around favorite furniture wood. Fruitwood wouldn't be out of place either -- I know from experience that apple can be very split resistant. Elm, too, for that matter, but the prominent grain might not work for this style.

Of course, a lot might depend on what wood you can actually find in suitable dimensions and state of seasoning.