[Woodcarver] Sign wood

[Ramsey]

  Western red cedar is a great sign carving wood.  It weathers much 
better than redwood and if you find a tight grain board it carves 
very well.  Redwood is hard to find in tight grain anymore and I try 
to stay away from old growth redwood anyway. I don't want to 
contribute to the logging of the last bit of old growth redwood. 
Second growth works fine for router work but is terrible for incising 
and detail.  White oak is not a good choice.  It does not hold up 
well in exterior applications.  I agree with Joe that genuine 
mahogany, also called Honduras mahogany, is a good sign carving wood 
but that brings up the question of using tropical hardwoods.  I have 
used mahogany extensively in the past but have stopped using it 
unless it's Smart Wood certified.  As I have become educated about 
some of the logging practices in tropical countries, I have become 
much more selective in the wood I use.

Ron Ramsey
http://www.carvedbyramsey.com/signs2.htm

>Mahogany would be my first choice of wood for that sign. It carves nice and
>holds up outdoors well. My second choice would be redwood and maybe third
>would be white oak. In fourth place might be cedar because of the coarse
>grain and not carving very well. Use exterior paints and varnishes for
>finishing.
>Joe Dillett
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