It is possible to turn any wood on the lathe, provided the wood is firm enough to hold together. All sorts of odds and ends, otherwise useless on account of knots and gnarly places, are pleasing when turned. Plates XIV and XVII.

For the classroom, maple will probably be used for most turning as it adapts itself well for thin turning, is hard, takes a polish easily, can be stained in many beautiful ways, holds its shape fairly well and is reasonable in price. Oak is also a good wood, but on account of the porous grain, does not lend itself so well to all problems.

Where price of material is a secondary consideration, the following list of woods will be found to be all that is necessary to turn any problem, making it both serviceable and beautiful.

Maple

plain, curly and birds-eye.

Walnut

white, black, French and Circassian.