Alternative to Cherry and Alder

[paul simonson]

I've been using Cherry as I like how it looks when planed and sanded, but have decided I'd prefer a wood that didn't darken over time. Alder seems to be the obvious choice but i can't seemingly get any where I live. Is there another possibility, whether a hard or softwood? Thanks!

[John Lifer]

Maple, Magnolia (if you can find it) Poplar can be slightly green, but doesn't change, mahogany doesn't really get much darker.

[Robert Engel]

Actually mahogany and poplar are very affected by oxidation.

Maple, pine, oak are not affected much by oxidation.

Somewhere there is an article about it try a Google search.

[Kev Williams]

I'm surprised you can't find alder? Around these parts at least it's probably the most popular wood for kitchen cabinetry lately, especially in refurbs because it's nice looking and relatively inexpensive... and it engraves great!

[Andrew Stow]

Alder is cheaper than cherry at the lumber yard I go to in San Antonio. I like alder because it's easy to work with and leaves a great contrast. But it is pretty boring wood. Practically no figure to it.

Have you tried mesquite? Mesquite leaves a really nice dark mark when lasered. Great contrast. Mesquite can range from kinda dark orange to grey with a slight pinkish tinge.

I've had pretty mixed results with maple. Some maple leaves nice dark mark when shot with the laser and other pieces leave almost no contrast.

[Matt McCoy]

...Have you tried mesquite? Mesquite leaves a really nice dark mark when lasered. Great contrast. Mesquite can range from kinda dark orange to grey with a slight pinkish tinge...

Bonus: The scrap pile can be used to grill meat.

[Bill George]

Bonus: The scrap pile can be used to grill meat.

Like!! :)

[Curt Harms]

I'm surprised you can't find alder? Around these parts at least it's probably the most popular wood for kitchen cabinetry lately, especially in refurbs because it's nice looking and relatively inexpensive... and it engraves great!

It depends on which coast you're nearer to. I live in S.E. PA and was looking for some alder once. I could get #1 common cherry cheaper. I'm sure the situation would be reversed if I were nearer the west coast.

[Kev Williams]

Alder is cheaper than cherry at the lumber yard I go to in San Antonio. I like alder because it's easy to work with and leaves a great contrast. But it is pretty boring wood. Practically no figure to it.
That's why it's great for laser engraving, the wood doesn't 'get in the way' of the artwork ;) And with the right finish, alder pops nicely...

[John Lifer]

Actually mahogany and poplar are very affected by oxidation.

Maple, pine, oak are not affected much by oxidation.

Somewhere there is an article about it try a Google search.
Well, I've got Poplar lumber and Mahogany that is over 25 years old in my shop that hasn't changed enough to notice. I cut a piece of mahogany a month ago and it is same color inside. Now if you finish it, all bets are off.

[paul simonson]

I'm in the UK and none of the lumberyards in reasonable driving distance have had Alder for some time now. I suspect whoever is supplying them can no longer do so. I will try Maple based on the advice in this thread, thanks all

[Keith Outten]

If you are looking for a wood species that has beautiful grain and engraves well try Hickory. Its very hard and dense wood and I have never noticed that the color changed over time.

[Robert Engel]

Well, I've got Poplar lumber and Mahogany that is over 25 years old in my shop that hasn't changed enough to notice. I cut a piece of mahogany a month ago and it is same color inside. Now if you finish it, all bets are off.

It may already be old enough that its color stabilized.

https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/finishing/color-changing

[Andrew Stow]

I'm in the UK and none of the lumberyards in reasonable driving distance have had Alder for some time now. I suspect whoever is supplying them can no longer do so. I will try Maple based on the advice in this thread, thanks all

I would get a few samples of different kinds of maples to try. I think generically they separate them by soft and hard, but there's probably a bunch of different species within those categories. If you can find a cabinet shop to give/sell you some drops of different species of wood to test, that would be good too.

[Andrew Stow]

What I really wish is if there was some way to tell if a particular piece of wood was going to give good contrast prior to buying it.

It's odd. I've had some pieces of cherry that gave great contrast and some that didn't. Same settings, same species. Just different pieces (presumably different trees?) Ditto for maple. Alder seems a hair more consistent but even with alder, same problem.

Maybe a little branding iron and a lighter or something? Stab a tiny little piece of the wood in an innocuous spot and see how dark it gets? I dunno, just spitballing here.

[John Lifer]

A LOT of difference in cherry. Older heartwood is going to be different than younger outer wood. (not including sapwood which will obviously be different) And how you are lasering the wood makes a difference too. Out of focus usually gives me darker look, but it can't be too far out. Usually dead focus is very little char. Which depending on what you are after, works well. You can always color fill if you have masked it before you laser. (or if burned deep enough, Fill and sand top layer back down.

[Andrew Stow]

A LOT of difference in cherry. Older heartwood is going to be different than younger outer wood. (not including sapwood which will obviously be different) And how you are lasering the wood makes a difference too. Out of focus usually gives me darker look, but it can't be too far out. Usually dead focus is very little char. Which depending on what you are after, works well. You can always color fill if you have masked it before you laser. (or if burned deep enough, Fill and sand top layer back down.

Hm, so even just using a longer focal length lens might achieve the same result.

[Melissa BurnerMN]

A lot things are being made with Acacia wood these days and I've had pretty good luck with these. My coworker keeps wanting me to make gifts for her friends so I've worked with some. I am not sure if it is available across the pond.

[Kev Williams]

All I know of acacia, is that's what these are! (Ikea outdoor flooring)
390198

[Matt McCoy]

Acacia is a collection of lots of species that grow in mostly Australia, Africa, and Asia. Hawaiian Acacia is called Koa. It's typically thorny, grows fairly quick, and not very tall. Lots of Chinese goods are made from it, since it is moderately priced and plentiful.

[Lee DeRaud]

I'm a bit surprised no one has mentioned bamboo.

Lyptus is another good choice: it darkens slightly over time but nowhere near as much as cherry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyptus

[Kev Williams]

I don't buy the stuff, but I get plenty brought to me, and much of the bamboo I'm seeing lately is highly variegated- very pretty to look at but engraves very inconsistent.

A couple of years ago a nephew brought me some bamboo flooring scraps, that stuff engraved beautifully.

[Lee DeRaud]

I don't buy the stuff, but I get plenty brought to me, and much of the bamboo I'm seeing lately is highly variegated- very pretty to look at but engraves very inconsistent.

A couple of years ago a nephew brought me some bamboo flooring scraps, that stuff engraved beautifully.Depends on how they lay out the strips for gluing: some of the stuff has "vertical grain" for lack of a better description, where the strips are perpendicular to the face of the board, making it look almost like zebrawood. OTOH, the stuff where they cover that with horizontal strips is very nice to work with.

[Matt McCoy]

Bamboo is not right for every project or client, but engraves well.