I was wondering, what would be the lightest commonly available hardwood that is hard enough that it doesn't dent easily like, say, pine? Tulip Poplar is a joy to work and very strong, but it dents quite easily.
I've found that I can get Japanese Ash (Tamo) here quite cheaply. I've got some, and it's very nice, but it's incredibly dense and heavy. Great for some things, but not so great for others where weight might be a concern.
If I recall, Cherry is somewhat on the light side -- lighter than Oak and the like. It's not super hard, but it's a big improvement over pine or poplar, which is great. Any other options I should consider?