Want to make a bread box out of a plank of ipe. Go ahead. The loaf will probably still be good to eat after the aliens arrive and chase us human off to Alpha Centauri. Ipe is really hardwood.

But since our current planet has such a huge variety of trees from which to choose, some match the project at hand perfectly. Take a moment as we expose the rundown:

Wood Guide for the One With the Tools

• Jelutong.
  This softie is considered “green” but it almost became extinct during the Boer War. The lumber has these little latex pockets that can be ground out and stuffed with wood filler. It’s straight grained and very easy for carvers. You’ll probably want to slip on a mask when cutting Jelutong. It has a tendency to bring to the surface fibers when it’s tooled around with.
• Cottonwood.
  For those who settled down in the Midwest, this wood is a fave. But because everyone likes the lumber, you may have a touch of trouble finding it. This softwood has a straight grain.
• Butternut.
  Which is likewise known as white walnut and is another softie. The heartwood is heavy brown in color while the sapwood looks kinda beige. Once you apply a clear finish, you’ll marvel at its gorgeous grain pattern.
• Quaken Aspen.
  If you’re a beginner, this low-scale hardwood is perfect for you. Carves like a charm and sands like a champ. Probably don’t want to incorporate this stuff into a furniture project. But its color – mostly light – it takes a stain well.
• Basswood.
  This is another wood with an alias: Lime. The heartwood and sapwood are almost identical in color – white. Because it’s such a softwood it’s gentle on your tools. The downside to basswood is that it’s as bland as a cloud. Staining is not recommended. Paint it instead.
• Sassafras.
  Not only will this tree’s roots make a fab tea or beverage, it’s got a straight grain pattern. Color: Light brown with dark streaks. Not only does it look great, it has that root beer aroma.
• Tupelo.
  The kids also call it water gum. That’s because you’ll usually see it reaching for the sky in swamps and wetlands. And the grain pattern is to die for. A simple clear finish adds to the beauty of this soft wood.
• Walnut.
  For those who are thinking about creating a gun stock, black walnut or American walnut is your best choice. To carve you’ll not only need a chisel. You’ll need a mallet.
• Mahogany.
  This one is tricky in the “green” department. You want to avoid African varieties and make sure it has a seal by one of the reputable associations that guarantee you’re not getting an outlaw brand. Other than that, it’s not that heavy to lift. It’s weird. Mahogany is light but really tough.

As we say, you can carve with any type of wood. At first, you’ll be a craftsman (or woman). Not long after, you’ll be transformed into an artist.

Pretty soon, if a certain predator has its way, using white ash will become a thing of the past. The background goes something like this:

The Emerald Ash Borer has invaded America. And even with buckets of money we continue to throw at the problem, we’re looking at 30-million or roughly 2/3^rds of white ash in the country are infected. The bug isn’t too fussy, either. The EAB has been found in green ash – and practically every other breed in the ash family.

Even native western ashes like Oregon and Arizona ash are next on the victim list.

Tell Tale Signs

It doesn’t get its name by being orange. It’s a startling emerald green insect in color. First seen in late spring, you’d think that having a lifespan of about 3-weeks, they wouldn’t make such a mess of the ash kingdom. The females lay their eggs in the wrinkles of the bark. Once the critters hatch, the larvae munches into the inner bark. You’ll know you have a problem if you X-ray the outer shell of the tree and see tunnels shaped like the letter “S.” In this inner sanctum of the tree, the invasion screws-up the way that nutrients and water travel through the living structure.

Infected trees can be destroyed without passing the EAB onto other nearby living structures. Mulch it, burn it or haul if off to a mill.

Get it While You Can

Not to cause a crush of woodworker’s storming the lumberyard waiting outside of Walmart on Black Friday, as generations amble by, we may have a problem with the availability of white ash. That is unless science pulls a flying rabbit out of its hat to eliminate the EAB.

A few details: Ash is considered a hardwood. The dominant trees of this species are white, green and black. Basically, it’s a dream substance for woodworkers. Very bendable, it soaks-up shock and glue. Staining is a cinch.

You’ll find it in the construction of cabinets, paneling, bookcases, flooring and other forms of hardwood furniture. Chainsaw cutters love the material to make large carvings of bears, eagles and other critters you’d like as a keepsake to scare-off the yard rats.

You don’t need to go big with ash. The lumber is well-suited for cutting boards, molding, delicate carvings, picture frames and the like.

That Ain’t All

Up until the end of the last century, when you heard the crack of the bat at a baseball game, unless the hitter was embarrassing himself with an aluminum job, the instrument was made of ash. Want some more stats on America’s premier hitting machine? Kudos to the Louisville Slugger for these fun facts about the ash bat:

• How many trees does it take to make a season’s bats?
  About 40,000 per season.
• Does H&B own its own forests?
  H&B owns about 7,500 acres of timberland in Pennsylvania and New York.  The company also purchases timber from other sources.
• From what kinds of timber are bats made?
  In our history we have used Northern White Ash, Hickory, Oak, and Maple.  Today approximately 50% of Major League Baseball® bats we make are Ash and 50% are Maple.
• Why do players prefer Ash or Maple?
  Ash has just the proper amount of tensile strength and resiliency required.  These properties, in the finished bat, transmit power or drive.  The weight of ash is also favorable, being very much in line with what is demanded. Maple is denser than ash and, thus, considered a little harder.  It is also heavier, which makes it challenging to find high grade lightweight maple for MLB bats.  Today’s players demand lighter weights than players of years ago, in large part because all of today’s MLB players grew up as kids playing with lighter aluminum bats. Physics professors who’ve studied the properties of ash and maple say there’s no real difference in how one performs over the other when made into baseball bats.
• Wasn’t ash always the most popular?
  Yes, for decades.  But after some players started having success hitting home runs with maple in the 1990’s more players started asking for maple bats.  Years ago, much hickory was used.  Hickory has many desirable bat qualities, but it is too heavy to meet the demands of today’s players who like lighter bats.
• How many Louisville Slugger wood bats are made yearly?
  Today, approximately 1.8 million, including souvenir bats.