Creating in wood

For all the builders that have an interest in wood, I prefer butternut because it is a light-weight hardwood and works nicely, but it is often hard to find. I shy away from hickory and oak, because they are dense, heavy and have an unforgiving edge that requires excessive shaping, and pine tends to bleed sap. Poplar is an excellent and inexpensive wood to use, although it is a bit softer it is very resilient and stains well and is available. It is easy to shape with a bandsaw or jigsaw, and sands to a smooth finish.