Name American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
Type Hardwood.
Other Names Also known as red beech, white beech, stone beech, and winter beech.
Sources Grows in Canada and United States.
Appearance Straight or sometimes interlocked grain with a fine, even texture. Dark to light reddish brown heartwood and very thin, nearly white sapwood.
Physical Props Hard, heavy, strong, stiff and shock resistant. Poor dimensional stability and decay resistance.
Working Props Machines well but can be difficult to work by hand. Tends to split - pre-drilling recommended for screws and nails. Finishes and steam-bends well.
Uses Does not impart taste or odor to food: ideal for food containers, baskets, utensils, and bread/butcher boards. Also used for chairs, handles, flooring, turned articles, clothes pins, workbench tops, tool handles, novelties, and interior furniture.

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Name European Beech (Fagus sylvatica)
Type Hardwood.
Other Names Also known as English beech, Carpathian beech, Danish beech, and others according to country of origin.
Sources Grows in Europe and southeast Asia.
Appearance Generally straight grained with broad rays, and fine, even texture. Pale cream to pinkish brown heartwood that darkens to a pale reddish brown.
Physical Props Hard and heavy, with high bending and crushing strength and moderately high stiffness and shock resistance. Poor dimensional stability and decay resistance.
Working Props Machines well but can be difficult to work by hand. Tends to split - pre-drilling recommended for screws and nails. Stains and finishes well. Exceptionally good for steam bending.
Uses Possibly the most popular general purpose furniture wood. Also ideal for food containers, baskets, utensils, and bread/butcher boards because it does not impart taste or odor to food. Also used for chairs, handles, flooring, turned articles, cooperage, musical instruments, clothes pins, workbench tops, tool handles, novelties, core stock and decorative veneers.

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Name European Birch (Betula pendula)
Type Hardwood.
Other Names Also known as birch, silver birch, warty birch.
Sources Grows throughout Europe. Typically sold according to country of origin, as in Finnish birch.
Appearance Straight grained and fine textured with creamy white to pale brown wood (no demarcation between heartwood and sapwood).
Physical Props Fairly heavy with moderate strength, stiffness, stability, and shock resistance properties. Steam bending often impacted by knots and irregular grain.
Working Props Works easily although wood tends to be woolly - reduced cutter angle often recommended. Requires pre-drilling for screwing or nailing. Glues, stains, and finishes quite well. An excellent turnery wood.
Uses Also used for bobbins, spools, dowels, miscellaneous woodenware, brushes, brooms, framing, interior joinery, furniture, and veneer. The primary material for birch plywood in Finland and Russia.

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